Hundreds Visit Medical Centers in Sistan and Baluchestan Due to Eye and Respiratory Problems

The head of Zabol University of Medical Sciences announced that in the past three days, 831 people visited medical centers in the Sistan region of northern Sistan and Baluchestan due to dust storms caused by the '120-day winds.' Ali Akbar Nasiri reported on Thursday, July 8, that on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 831 individuals sought medical care in the areas of Zabol, Zahak, Hirmand, Nimruz, and Hamun. According to Nasiri, 90% of these citizens were treated for eye and respiratory issues. He noted that 120 of these individuals were hospitalized while the rest were treated on an outpatient basis. In recent months, hundreds of people have also visited medical centers due to the intensification of the 120-day winds and dust storms in Sistan and Baluchestan. The 120-day winds typically begin in early May and continue until September or October, hence their name. Reports indicate that this storm has intensified in the Sistan region over the past 18 years, with its duration now exceeding 150 days and reaching up to 190 days in some years. The maximum wind speed in July is estimated to be 100 kilometers per hour, while the average speed in summer is about 26 kilometers per hour and in winter about 13 kilometers per hour. Meanwhile, a meteorologist in Sistan and Baluchestan stated that these winds subsided on Thursday but are expected to resume on Friday night, with increased wind speed and dust forecasted. Sistan and Baluchestan, covering approximately 187,502 square kilometers and home to over 2.8 million people, is the largest province in the country and can experience multiple phenomena simultaneously, including storms, rainfall, floods, and rough seas. The Sistan region in the north of this province has faced drought crises and dust storms in recent years, leading to a rise in eye, respiratory, and pulmonary diseases among the local population. The Iran newspaper previously reported that 'the drying of the Hamun wetland and the shifting sands in the area have become a source of dust production and transport in Western Asia, with experts stating that its impact extends to the Persian Gulf, Oman Sea, and Pakistan.' Meanwhile, the government of Hassan Rouhani has implemented plans to 'revive' this wetland, but these plans have yet to yield results, and government officials have stated that they are time-consuming.