The dust storm started in South Kurdistan on Thursday. Numerous flights were canceled at Hewler airport. As the dust storm then moved south, Baghdad and other cities, especially Nasiriyah, were also affected on Saturday.

The communication distance to the areas hit by the dust storm was reduced to almost zero. Streets and vehicles were covered with a layer of mustard-colored dust.

Saif al-Badr, spokesperson of the Ministry of Health, told AFP that the storm caused dozens of people to be hospitalized across Iraq for shortness of breath.

In Iraq, which is a semi-desert country, sand and dust storms can be experienced, especially in spring.

Amir al-Jabri, one of the Iraqi meteorology officials, said that they expect dust storms to increase in the future due to drought, deforestation and lack of precipitation.

Iraq stands out as one of the most vulnerable countries in the face of climate change and desertification.

Droughts are becoming more frequent, and extreme temperatures can stay above 50 degrees for days in a row.