Heavy sandstorm blankets Baghdad

A heavy sandstorm covered Baghdad on Sunday, shutting down the airport and sending dozens of residents to hospitals with respiratory problems. Doctors in the Iraqi capital city's hospitals said they had seen many patients arriving with respiratory problems.

"All the needed treatment was provided to them, such as oxygen and bronchodilators, and the hospital is ready to receive more patients," said Doctor at Sheikh Zayed General Hospital.

Many locals and people working in the city wore face masks or improvised by using scarves over their mouths and noses, while authorities urged people to stay indoors.

Baghdad airport suspended flights and said visibility was reduced to just 450 meters. Sandstorms have become a regular occurrence in Baghdad, which is usually shielded from the desert by a thin strip of arable land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.