File:Dust in Iraq (MODIS 2022-08-23).jpg

English: A heavy dust storm swept across much of Iraq in late August 2022. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a true-color image of a sheet of dust moving across Lake Therthar. The Euphrates and Tigris Rivers can be seen in the southwest and northeast, respectively. Dust storms are common in Iraq both in late spring and summer, thanks to seasonal winds, such as the “shamal” that blows in from the northwest. These strong winds blow across abundant sources of dust, sometimes creating massive dust storms that can shut down transportation and are harmful to human health. According to The World Bank, northern Iraq between the Tigris and Euphrates has the highest density of dust sources in the Middle East.