Iraq: Flights Suspended over Heavy Dust Storm

Baghdad – Airports of Baghdad and Najaf suspended flights on Wednesday after heavy dust storm hit central Iraq and impaired visibility.

The Baghdad International Airport said in a statement that the flights “have been suspended because of bad weather and visibility of less than 500 meters,” adding that flights will resume if weather conditions improve.

The Najaf Airport also cancelled flights because of the dust storm, official Iraqi News Agency reported.

The Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology said in a statement that the dust storm is expected to continue on Thursday, but weather conditions will improve in the following days.

Dust storms have swept Iraq frequently in recent months. Experts believe they are caused by a lack of rain last winter, drought, and the shortage of vegetation cover.