Sulaimani - A severe dust storm covering the Kurdistan Region has hospitalized many and restricted movements across the cities and limiting eyesight to only tens of meters.

Forty-five people have been hospitalized in Sulaimania, a city with more green space per induvial than any other city in the Kurdistan region and Iraq.

The skies of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region were obscured by a thick layer of dust on Thursday, leading to impaired breathing, reduced visibility, and making driving difficult.

In Kirkuk, 90 cases of breathing difficulties were recorded with people admitted to the city’s hospitals.

The number of dust storms has increased dramatically in the last decade. Climate change is a significant factor in the increased frequency of dust waves. 

According to statistics recorded by the General Meteorological Authority, the number of dusty days increased from 243 to 272 days per year over the past two decades and is expected to reach 300 dusty days annually in 2050.

Kurdistan region usually boasts good dry weather where people go to picnic this time of the year. But the dust storm prevents people from enjoying the beauty of the region’s spring.