WMO Warns Sand and Dust Storms Intensifying, Affecting 330 Million Globally

WMO Warns Sand and Dust Storms Intensifying, Affecting 330 Million Globally
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Sand and dust storms are escalating in frequency and intensity, impacting the health and livelihoods of approximately 330 million people annually across more than 150 countries, Anadolu Agency reported based on a recent statement by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Although dust storms are largely natural phenomena, poor land and water management, drought, and environmental degradation have significantly worsened their severity.

The 2024 Airborne Dust Bulletin highlighted hotspots such as Chad’s Bodele Depression, where dust concentrations reached between 800 and 1100 µg/m³, far exceeding global norms. Other affected regions include central Australia, South Africa’s west coast, northern China, and West Asia, where storms disrupted daily life and transportation.

Each year, about 2 billion tons of dust—equivalent to 307 Great Pyramids of Giza—are lifted into the atmosphere, with over 80% originating from North Africa and the Middle East. Dust can travel thousands of kilometers, even across oceans.

The WMO and World Health Organization (WHO) found that 3.8 billion people were exposed to dust levels exceeding WHO safety thresholds between 2018 and 2022, a significant rise from 2.9 billion in 2003–2007. Economic costs are substantial; in the US alone, dust and wind erosion caused $154 billion in damages in 2017, quadrupling since 1995.

WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo stressed the urgent need for investments in dust early warning systems and mitigation measures to reduce health risks and economic losses.