Hundreds fight for breath: Iraq choked by deadly dust
Shafaq News/ A severe dust storm swept across northern Iraq on Monday, hospitalizing hundreds and triggering a fatal crash, health and security officials reported.
In Diyala province, over 300 people were treated for respiratory distress, Faris al-Azzawi, spokesperson for the provincial Health Directorate, told Shafaq News, adding, 'No critical cases have been recorded so far.'
A traffic collision killed three people and injured five. 'The crash was directly caused by low visibility during the storm,' a local security source said.
Meanwhile, in Kirkuk, at least 30 residents were hospitalized after the storm advanced from neighboring Saladin province.
Iraq experiences seasonal dust storms from late spring through summer, though forecasters expect milder conditions in the second half of May, according to an Iraqi meteorologist.
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