A heavy dust storm blankets Erbil’s historic citadel, drastically reducing visibility across the city.
Sharp decline in airborne dust levels reported in Erbil governorate
ERBIL — The Erbil Environment Directorate has recorded a sharp drop in airborne dust levels across the governorate, with new data showing a reduction from around 90 tons to just 3.1 tons.
According to the directorate, dust samples were collected from four monitoring stations: one in central Erbil and three others in the districts of Koya, Pirmam, and Harir.
Iraq—including the Kurdistan Region—has recently been hit by repeated waves of intense dust storms that have sent thousands of people to hospitals with respiratory issues.
The latest figures, shared with 964media, cover the period from May 5 to June 3, 2025. During this time, dust concentrations were measured at 3.9 milligrams in central Erbil, 14 milligrams in Koya, 4 milligrams in Pirmam, and 8 milligrams in Harir.
By comparison, measurements from April 7 to May 5, 2025, showed much higher levels: 20.4 milligrams in central Erbil, 26 milligrams in Koya, 19.6 milligrams in Pirmam, and 14.8 milligrams in Harir.