The increase in dust and air pollution on Saturday, May 11, led to the closure of schools and universities in at least two provinces in Iran. The Tasnim News Agency reported on Saturday, citing the Director General of Education in Lorestan Province, that all afternoon schools in this province were closed "due to air pollution." The news agency also described the air quality in Lorestan Province on Saturday as "dangerous." According to this report, the level of air pollution "in some counties of the province [Lorestan] has reached eight times the permissible limit." Earlier on Friday, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency in Poldokhtar County in the same province announced that the level of air pollution in this city was "ten times the permissible limit." Meanwhile, in Khuzestan Province, all schools and universities were also closed on Saturday due to "the persistence of dust." The Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) reported on Saturday that all schools and universities in 15 cities of this province were closed. The source of the dust affecting Khuzestan Province was identified as "Iraq." In this context, a representative from Ahvaz, Karun, and Hamidiyeh in the parliament stated on Saturday: "The existence of 345,000 hectares of dust sources in Khuzestan is due to the disorganization of the responsible officials in the center and the province." According to Javad Kazem Nasab al-Bajji, "If the water rights of these sources had been considered, we would not have witnessed the dust storms." In recent years, the level of dust in Khuzestan Province and some areas of southwestern Iran has reached a point where it has exceeded the "crisis index" in some cases. In addition to the significantly higher than permissible concentration of dust in the cities of Khuzestan Province, water scarcity and rising temperatures have also been cited as other challenges faced by the people of this province. Earlier in May, a representative from Ahvaz reported on the migration of "many" residents from Khuzestan to the cities of Karaj and Mashhad due to air pollution in this province caused by dust.
Closure of Schools and Universities in Two Provinces Due to Air Pollution
On May 11, schools and universities in Lorestan and Khuzestan provinces were closed due to severe air pollution caused by dust storms. The pollution levels in some areas reached up to ten times the permissible limit, prompting concerns from local officials about environmental mismanagement. This situation highlights ongoing environmental crises in Iran, exacerbating public health and migration issues.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
On May 11, schools and universities in Lorestan and Khuzestan provinces were closed due to severe air pollution caused by dust storms. Pollution levels reached up to ten times the permissible limit, raising concerns about environmental management.
- Air quality in Lorestan was described as 'dangerous' with pollution levels reaching eight times the permissible limit.
- The source of dust affecting Khuzestan Province was identified as originating from Iraq.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran has been facing increasing environmental challenges, including air pollution and water scarcity, largely due to mismanagement and climate change. Dust storms have become more frequent and severe, impacting public health and livelihoods.
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%