Tempesta di sabbia in Iraq, 2 mila persone in ospedale per problemi respiratori

La polvere portata dal vento ha ridotto la visibilità e colorato di arancione i cieli della Capitale. Scuole e aeroporti chiusi con centinaia di persone ricoverate in ospedale. I voli all'aeroporto internazionale di Baghdad sono ripresi dopo lo stop di alcune ore dovuto alla scarsa visibilità. Lo stesso è accaduto all'aeroporto di Najaf e a quello di Al-Sulaymaniyah

TOPSHOT - Volunteers clean up at the Imam Ali shrine during a sandstorm in Iraq's holy city of Najaf on May 16, 2022. - Another sandstorm that descended on Iraq sent at least 2,000 people to hospital with breathing problems and led to the closure of airports, schools and public offices across the country. (Photo by Qassem al-KAABI / AFP) (Photo by QASSEM AL-KAABI/AFP via Getty Images)

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Uno strato di sabbia arancione ha ricoperto la capitale irachena Baghdad. Dalla città arrivano immagini impressionanti così come da altre città del Paese, in particolare da Nassiriya

A man rides his bicycle during a sandstorm in Iraq's southern city of Basra on May 16, 2022. - Another sandstorm that descended on climate-stressed Iraq sent at least 4,000 people to hospital with breathing problems and led to the closure of airports, schools and public offices across the country. (Photo by Hussein Faleh / AFP) (Photo by HUSSEIN FALEH/AFP via Getty Images)

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Si tratta dell'ottava tempesta di sabbia a colpire il Paese da aprile. Un fenomeno causato soprattutto dall’intensa siccità e dalle scarse precipitazioni legate al cambiamento climatico e alla desertificazione

Ambulance drivers stand by one of their vehicles parked at a hospital in the city of Nasiriyah in Iraq's southern Dhi Qar province on May 16, 2022 amidst a heavy dust storm. (Photo by Asaad NIAZI / AFP) / The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: BYLINE [Asaad NIAZI] instead of [Sabah ARAR]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require. (Photo by ASAAD NIAZI/AFP via Getty Images)

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Centinaia di persone si sono recate in ospedale per problemi respiratori

Patients suffering from breathing problems exacerbated by a heavy dust storm receive care at Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Iraq's capital Baghdad on May 16, 2022. (Photo by Sabah ARAR / AFP) (Photo by SABAH ARAR/AFP via Getty Images)

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I dati diffusi dal ministero della Salute e riportati da Shafaq News parlano di oltre 2mila ricoveri legati a problemi alle via aeree respiratorie

A patient receives medical care at the al-Hakim hospital during a sandstorm in Iraq's holy city of Najaf on May 16, 2022. - Another sandstorm that descended on Iraq sent at least 2,000 people to hospital with breathing problems and led to the closure of airports, schools and public offices across the country. (Photo by Qassem al-KAABI / AFP) (Photo by QASSEM AL-KAABI/AFP via Getty Images)

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“Dall’alba abbiamo ricevuto circa 40 casi di soffocamento" ha spiegato il dottor Seif Ali Abed, primario di un ospedale di Baghdad. "La maggior parte di loro ha malattie croniche legate all’asma o ha la bronchite, la maggior parte di loro sono anziani”

Patients receive medical care at the al-Hakim hospital during a sandstorm in Iraq's holy city of Najaf on May 16, 2022. - Another sandstorm that descended on Iraq sent at least 2,000 people to hospital with breathing problems and led to the closure of airports, schools and public offices across the country. (Photo by Qassem al-KAABI / AFP) (Photo by QASSEM AL-KAABI/AFP via Getty Images)

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“Quest’anno abbiamo assistito a più di una tempesta di sabbia, l’ultima delle quali è stata più forte della precedente" ha detto ancora il dottor Seif Ali Abed. "Ad ogni tempesta di sabbia, aumenta il numero di pazienti che soffrono di problemi respiratori”

People walk down al-Rasoul street leading to the Imam Ali shrine during a sandstorm in Iraq's holy city of Najaf on May 16, 2022. - Another sandstorm that descended on Iraq sent at least 2,000 people to hospital with breathing problems and led to the closure of airports, schools and public offices across the country. (Photo by Qassem al-KAABI / AFP) (Photo by QASSEM AL-KAABI/AFP via Getty Images)

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Gli aeroporti e gli uffici governativi sono rimasti chiusi per la tempesta e sospesi gli esami nelle scuole e nelle università

Vehicles drive along a road in the city of Nasiriyah in Iraq's southern Dhi Qar province on May 16, 2022 amidst a heavy dust storm. (Photo by Asaad NIAZI / AFP) / The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: BYLINE [Asaad NIAZI] instead of [Sabah ARAR]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require. (Photo by ASAAD NIAZI/AFP via Getty Images)

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I voli all'aeroporto internazionale di Baghdad sono "ripresi" dopo lo stop di alcune ore dovuto alla scarsa visibilità. Lo stesso è accaduto all'aeroporto di Najaf e a quello di Al-Sulaymaniyah

TOPSHOT - A fisherman paddles his boat during a sandstorm in Iraq's southern city of Basra on May 16, 2022. - Another sandstorm that descended on climate-stressed Iraq sent at least 4,000 people to hospital with breathing problems and led to the closure of airports, schools and public offices across the country. (Photo by Hussein FALEH / AFP) (Photo by HUSSEIN FALEH/AFP via Getty Images)

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Secondo le stime dell'ufficio meteorologico iracheno il Paese vivrà sempre più tempeste di polvere a causa della siccità, della desertificazione e del calo delle precipitazioni

A thick cloud of dust engulfs the Kahramana square in the Karrada negihbourhood of Iraq's capital Baghdad, on May 16, 2022. (Photo by Sabah ARAR / AFP) (Photo by SABAH ARAR/AFP via Getty Images)

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Nel 2016 il Programma delle Nazioni Unite per l'ambiente (Unep) aveva previsto che l'Iraq potrebbe assistere a 300 eventi di questo tipo in un anno, entro il 2026