Dust storms hit the governorates of Iraq

The Iraqi capital, Baghdad, and several governorates were hit by a severe dust storm; where thick layers of dust covered the houses, and the visibility in some areas was below 50 meters, especially on the external routes linking the governorates.

This is the first time in decades that Iraq has witnessed an increase in the number of severe dust storms during a very short period.

Iraq is one of the five countries most vulnerable to climate change and desertification in the world due to the increasing drought with high temperatures that sometimes exceed 52 Celsius in summer.