In recent days, the sandstorms that have engulfed the Middle East have become a phenomenon that experts warn could proliferate due to climate change, posing serious risks to human health.
At least 4,000 people have been hospitalized since Monday (May 16) due to respiratory issues in Iraq, where eight sandstorms have swept across the country since mid-April. This number represents the highest among over 5,000 individuals treated in Iraqi hospitals for respiratory illnesses earlier this month.
Additionally, the sandstorm phenomenon has raised concerns in Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates in the coming days. Strong winds carry vast amounts of sand and dust into the atmosphere, which can then travel hundreds or even thousands of kilometers.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that sandstorms have affected a total of 150 countries and regions, adversely impacting the environment, health, and economy.
Sandstorms are increasingly prevalent in Middle Eastern countries. (Image: Thai PBSWorld).
Carlos Perez Garcia-Pando, an expert on sandstorms and dust at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center and the Catalan Institute for Advanced Research, stated that this is a phenomenon that is both local and global, originating from arid or semi-arid regions in North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Central Asia, and China.
Some areas that are less affected include Australia, the Americas, and South Africa.
The WMO has warned about “serious risks” posed by airborne dust.
Fine dust particles can cause health issues such as asthma and cardiovascular diseases, while also spreading bacteria, viruses, pesticides, and other toxins.
The WMO stated: “The size of dust particles is a major determining factor regarding the potential risk to human health.”
Particles smaller than 10 micrometers can often get trapped in the nose, mouth, and upper respiratory tract, leading to respiratory disorders like asthma and pneumonia.
Those at high risk are primarily the elderly and individuals struggling with respiratory and heart issues. The most affected are residents of countries that frequently experience sandstorms.
Depending on weather and climate conditions, dust can remain in the atmosphere for several days and travel very far, sometimes carrying bacteria, pollen, fungi, and viruses.
Thomas Bourdrel, a radiology researcher at the University of Strasbourg and a member of the Aerospace Health Climate group, noted: “However, the severity is less than that of ultrafine particles, such as those from road traffic, which can penetrate the brain or bloodstream.”
Even though sand particles are less toxic than those produced by combustion processes, “the extremely high density of these particles in storms also leads to mortality rates from cardiovascular-respiratory issues, particularly among the most vulnerable,” he said.
Garcia-Pando remarked: “With concentrations of thousands of micrograms per cubic meter in the air, it is nearly unmanageable.”
Some scientists suggest that the frequency and intensity of sandstorms may worsen due to climate change.
However, this complex phenomenon is “fraught with uncertainties” and is influenced by a range of factors such as temperature, wind, and agricultural activities, Garcia-Pando told AFP.
He stated: “In some areas, climate change may reduce the wind strength that causes storms, but extreme phenomena can still exist, and even increase.
With rising global temperatures, it is likely that more regions on Earth will become arid. The Spanish researcher noted: “This year, temperature anomalies have been observed in East Africa, the Middle East, and East Asia, and this drought is also affecting vegetation, a factor that could increase sandstorms.”
