repeated sandstorms weaken the country, strongly affected by desertification

Iraqis suffocate in the dust, Wednesday, May 25, an orange halo fell on the cities and in the countryside. This is the ninth sandstorm in less than two months. The phenomenon is now spreading to neighboring countries. With planes grounded and administrations closed, Iraq is however the most affected country. 10,000 people had to be admitted to hospital for respiratory problems. “Most of the patients we receive have chronic diseases. There is asthma, or they have bronchitis. The majority of them are elderly”explains Dr. Seif Ali Abed, head of service at Baghdad hospital (Iraq).

The phenomenon should increase in the years to come. Due to poor water management and uncontrolled urbanization, desertification is gaining ground. Fewer and fewer plants slow down the winds. “It is a human overexploitation whose effects are amplified by climate change, in terms of intensity and frequency.“, comments Jean-Luc Chotte, president of the French scientific committee on desertification. In Iraq, 40% of the soil is affected by desertification.