29 Mar 2024
Friday 17 March 2017 - 13:32
Story Code : 255056

Why dust storms still suffocate Irans Khuzestan province

Al-Monitor l Zahra Alipour: A massive influx of dust storms in recent weeks has once again paralyzed Irans southwestern province of Khuzestan. The province has been reeling from dust storms since the early 2000s, a problem which often leads to schools and government offices being closed, power, water and internet outages as well as residents being rushed to hospitals with respiratory complications.

According to a Feb.18 assessment by the Khuzestan Environmental Protection Office, theconcentration of dust particlesin the provincial capital of Ahvaz was1,841micrograms per cubic meter12 times higher thanthe maximum recommended. In previous years, one city in the province was even reported to have66 timesmore dust particles in the airthan the maximum.

The recent crisis in Khuzestan prompted protests not only on social media but also on the streets of Ahvaz.In an attempt to address the crisis, two provincial officials were dismissed while President Hassan Rouhani andtwo of his Cabinet ministers traveled to Khuzestan to examine the situation or, in the words of Ahvazs deputy governor, to sympathize with the people ahead of the May 19 presidential elections. Just days before Rouhanis trip, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also criticized the management of the crisis, saying, If someone is concerned about the people, they cannot remain unmoved in the face of the difficult problems in Khuzestan.
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