Strong heat wave hits Iraq
Sunset behind the Ferris wheel in Nasiriyah in Dhi Qar governorate. Photo: Al-Ittihad
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraq is witnessing high temperatures that exceeds 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) while summer is still in the beginning, according to Al-Ittihad news.
Since the beginning of June, the country has been facing a stifling heat wave, during which temperatures, even in the shade, approached 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit).
This stifling summer comes after a spring in which dust storms unprecedentedly hit the country. Experts say that desertification and climate change are key factors in the increased dust storms.
“We are expecting to receive more patients suffering from sunstroke during this summer,” the spokesperson of the Ministry of Health, Saif al-Badr, told AFP.
“Experts expect that there will be more heat waves and frequent dust storms,” Badr added.
Early in June, the Iraqi President, Barham Salih, called for actions to confront climate change.
“Confronting climate change must become an Iraqi national priority. There is no room for inaction, because it represents a threat to Iraq,” Salih said.