Wmo: Human Health Is At Risk From Sandstorms

Sandstorms have overtaken the Middle East in recent days, phenomena that scientists fear may spread as a result of climate change, endangering human health. In Iraq, where eight sandstorms have covered the country since mid-April, at least 4,000 people rushed to hospitals on Monday for respiratory concerns. More than 5,000 people were hospitalized in Iraqi hospitals earlier this month for similar respiratory illnesses.

Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have all been affected by the phenomena, with more expected in the following days.

Strong winds may propel significant volumes of sand and dust into the sky, where they can travel hundreds, if not thousands, of kilometres.

Sandstorms have impacted 150 nations and regions, wreaking havoc on the environment, health, and economy, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

Carlos Perez Garcia-Pando, a sand and dust storm expert at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center and the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, stated, "It's a phenomenon that is both local and worldwide, with a higher intensity in places of origin."

North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Central Asia, and China are all experiencing dry or semi-dry weather. Australia, the Americas, and South Africa are among the least impacted regions.

Airborne dust poses "severe hazards," according to the UN agency WMO.

Fine dust particles may cause health issues including asthma and cardiovascular disease, as well as transmit germs, viruses, pesticides, and other poisons.

The WMO said that "dust particle size is a critical predictor of possible human health hazards." Small particles are as small as 10 micrometres can become lodged in the nose, mouth, and upper respiratory tract, causing respiratory problems including asthma and pneumonia.

The elderly and children, as well as those with respiratory and heart disorders, are the most vulnerable.

Residents in nations often pounded by sandstorms are the most impacted, unlike in Europe, where dust from the Sahara is uncommon, as was the case in March. Sand dust may stay in the sky for several days and travel considerable distances, collecting up germs, pollen, and other contaminants depending on the weather and climatic conditions.

"However, the severity is less than with ultrafine particles, which may infiltrate the brain or the circulatory system, such as those found in road traffic," says Thomas Bourdrel, a radiologist and member of the Air Health Climate collective.

Even while sand particles are less harmful than combustion particles, their "extreme density during storms causes a rather considerable increase in cardio-respiratory mortality, especially among the most vulnerable," he explained. "It's virtually unbeatable" with "a concentration of thousands of cubic micrometres in the air," Garcia-Pando remarked.

According to some experts, climate change may increase the frequency and intensity of sandstorms.

 

Comments Post Comment

Leave a Comment

Submit