Schools and Universities in Khuzestan Cities Closed

The Crisis Management Department of Khuzestan Province announced that schools and universities in 18 cities of Khuzestan Province are closed on Wednesday, April 25, due to bad weather conditions and an increase in dust particles. According to IRNA news agency, Hashem Baladi, the director of crisis management in Khuzestan, stated that all educational levels from elementary to university in Ahvaz, Behbahan, Dezful, Andimeshk, Izeh, Shushtar, Baghemolk, Andika, Shush, Masjed Soleyman, Hoveyzeh, Karun, Dasht-e Azadegan, Gotvand, Aghajari, Hamidiyeh, Lali, and Bavi will be closed. Nevertheless, the activities of institutions and government offices will continue. With the renewed increase in dust particles in Khuzestan Province over the past two days, schools in Khorramshahr and Abadan were closed on Tuesday evening. At 3 PM that day, dust levels in Ahvaz reached 1384 micrograms per cubic meter, while in Abadan the situation was even worse, with dust levels rising to 4085 micrograms. The standard for declaring initial air pollution is an increase in dust particles to over 150 micrograms per cubic meter. Depending on the level of pollution, schools, universities, and even government offices may be closed. Khuzestan Province and other western provinces of Iran have repeatedly faced severe air pollution and an increase in dust phenomena in recent years. The transfer of dust from neighboring countries such as Jordan and Syria to Saudi Arabia, or the gradual drying of western Iranian lands due to water scarcity, are among the factors contributing to increased air pollution. In this context, the drying of Lake Urmia threatens the lives of 14 million people.