ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq — A severe dust storm has swept across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, with Kirkuk province bearing the brunt of the bad weather and seeing over 200 hospitalizations.

“According to the latest data, 207 people were hospitalized for breathing difficulties at Kirkuk hospitals,” Saman Yaba, spokesperson of the Kirkuk Health Department, confirmed to The New Region. “They were all discharged after receiving necessary medical treatments.”

The severe dust storm sent many people to hospitals in Sulaimani, Erbil, and Halabja provinces.

At least 12 people in Erbil, 10 in Sulaimani, and 36 in Halabja were admitted to hospitals for breathing difficulties, with the majority of the cases being people suffering from respiratory diseases and the elderly.

A severe sandstorm on Monday swept through Iraq, lending a yellow hue to several Iraqi cities, reducing visibility, and exacerbating air quality, leading to breathing problems.

Iraq is among the countries most affected by climate change globally. Dropping water levels and increasing dust storms have led to thousands of displacements across the country and resulted in wide demographic change.

Dust storms have plagued Iraq since earlier this month, sending thousands to hospitals due to breathing difficulties, according to data from Iraq’s Ministry of Health.

Iraq’s Environment Ministry has already warned that the country is expected to experience a rising number of "dust days" in the coming decades.

Rampant desertification has caused frequent dust storms in Iraq, making them common in recent years.

Iraq experiences over 200 dusty days per year, according to data by the government, with the number projected to reach 300 by 2050 unless drastic steps to battle climate change are taken.

The United Nations ranks Iraq among the world's five most climate-vulnerable nations.