What are the impacts of sandstorms and how to mitigate them?
What are the impacts of sandstorms and how to mitigate them?
Nowadays sandstorms have become a remarkable issue in the middle east and particularly in Iraq.
What are the causes:
- Lack of perecipatation,
- Climate change,
- Soil erosion,
- War and military movement,
- Lack of vegetation,
- Deforestation,
- Lack of sustainable development and land use.
Sandstorms have significant negative impacts on society, the environment, and the economy. The impacts can be local regional and global scale.
The significant health, environmental, and social impacts are as below:
- Dust carries airborn pollutant such as toxins, heavey metals and, psticides, etc.
- Increase environmental hazards relating to transportation, building and health.
- Dust deposition on landscape can cause drying of leaves, retard the growth of plant and cause damage to crops.
- Dust in water can obstruct the penetration of sunlight into the water courses.
- Road accidents and avation problem due to low visilibity.
- Crops damage.
- Construction, and infrastruction damage.
- Immigration of people
- Economy damage and, losing jobs.
The mitigation measures:
Use dust mask, and drink alot of fluids.
- Put wet tawel around mouth and nose.
- Avoid outdoor activities.
- Close doors, windows tightly.
- Clean nose, and mouth.
- Increase vegetation to cover soil.
- Plantation of native trees.
- Take extra precoution, for elderly, children and sick people.
- Implementation of environmental plan for the projects.
- Consider sustainable development for the projects.