Our team was present in Baghdad to witness the impact of the latest in Iraq’s wave of severe dust storms.

Over the last month, Iraq has experienced a series of six dust storms which have grounded flights across the nation and led to a spate of hospitalisations due to a dramatic uptick in respiratory illnesses.

On Sunday, May 1, clouds of yellow dust covered most of southern Iraq, including the capital Baghdad, which lead to the closure of Baghdad and Najar airports amongst other disruptions.

The nation continues to feel the devastating effects of the global climate crisis, with Iraq considered one of the Middle East’s most vulnerable countries to climate change and desertification.

This video is an insight into how our team validated footage from Iraq’s capital as thick dust clouds filled the atmosphere and caused significant disruption to life in the city.