Dust Storm Wave Puts Kermanshah Province Cities in ‘Critical’ Condition
On the second day of a new dust storm wave in some western provinces of Iran, the air quality in most cities of Kermanshah province on Monday, June 27th, remained “critical and dangerous” or “very unhealthy.”
According to ISNA news agency, the dust storm that made the air in most Kermanshah cities non-standard on Sunday continued on Monday, causing all air quality monitoring stations in the province to show non-standard conditions.
Based on this report, the air in the cities of Qasr-e Shirin and Sarpol-e Zahab is “in crisis, dangerous and brown” conditions, and the status of Paveh district has been reported as “very unhealthy, emergency and purple.”
This comes as warnings were issued yesterday about the possibility of deteriorating conditions and increased severity and concentration of dust in these areas.
Today, the city of Kermanshah is also in “red, unhealthy and alert” condition, and government offices and banks in 10 districts of the province began operations with a two-hour delay due to dust.
In Khuzestan province as well, the re-formation and widespread occurrence of fine dust on Saturday, June 18th, resulted in over 500 people being hospitalized, with at least 50 of them admitted to special hospital wards.
Earlier, the Meteorological Organization had reported the occurrence of dust phenomenon concurrent with “relatively strong” winds in the provinces of East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, Kurdistan, Alborz, Zanjan, Kermanshah, Qazvin, Kurdistan, Ilam, Khuzestan, Qom, Tehran, Central, and Lorestan.
Climate change, multiple droughts, incorrect management of water and soil resources, reduced vegetation cover, and unscientific exploitation of agricultural lands in Iran and regional countries have been identified as the most important factors in soil erosion and the occurrence of dust storms and fine dust.
Source: Radio Farda
