2,100 People Rushed to Hospital Due to Dust Storm in Iran

Dust storm in Iran. (Wikimedia Commons/Tasnim News Agency)

JAKARTA - More than 2,000 people were rushed to hospital due to the dust storm that hit southeastern Iran in recent weeks.

Director General of the Provincial Crisis Management Office, Majid Mohebi, said that as many as 2,107 people needed medical treatment in hospitals and health centers in five cities of Sistan and Baluchestan Province due to the dust storm.

"More than 130 people are still being treated in hospital, the majority complaining of respiratory, heart and eye problems," he told the IRNA news agency as quoted by The National News, September 26.

He further said that the dust storm also caused three people to die due to lack of visibility.

It is known that schools and offices in Sistan and Baluchestan were closed this weekend, which is actually the start of the school year, due to the storm.

Authorities were on standby to help motorists who experienced reduced vision due to the dust, Mohebi said.

Last month, officials said at least 1,000 people had been rushed to hospital due to dust storms and high temperatures.

Meanwhile, researchers say, dust storms that frequently occur in Iran have "increased dramatically" in the past two decades. Hurricanes can also have a devastating impact on agriculture and infrastructure.

In addition to respiratory problems, hurricanes can also cause strokes and meningitis due to poor air quality, according to research.

It is known that Iran is one of the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Deforestation and drought have exacerbated dust storms.

The Iranian Meteorological Organization estimates that 97 percent of the country is facing some level of drought.