Dust storm sweeps across Iraq as winds reach 90km/h in Anbar

BAGHDAD — A dust storm is moving across Iraq Monday, with strong winds expected to reduce visibility in Baghdad and other cities over coming hours, the Iraqi Meteorological Authority warned.

Amer al-Jabri, director of media at the authority, told the Iraqi News Agency that satellite imagery detected a dust wave over western Iraq driven by strong surface winds. “The dust wave is expected to reach the capital Baghdad and then move toward other cities during the coming hours, causing a clear decline in horizontal visibility,” he said.

Wind speeds in parts of Anbar could reach 80 to 90 km/h, with less severe conditions across central and southern Iraq due to a surface low-pressure system. Winds are expected to ease during the evening and night, though dust will remain suspended in the atmosphere.

Footage documented by 964media at the Trebil border crossing in Rutba district, western Anbar, showed the storm turning the sky red as it moved eastward.

Authorities warned of breathing difficulties, particularly for people with respiratory conditions. A previous dust storm earlier this month sent 1,133 people to hospital across Iraq, with 576 cases recorded in Muthanna, 300 in Najaf and 200 in Baghdad.