WMO: Intense Sand, Dust storms Threaten Nearly Half of Humanity

(MENAFN) Sand and dust storms are becoming more frequent and intense, placing the health and economic stability of hundreds of millions of people worldwide at serious risk, according to a report released Thursday by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

The latest Airborne Dust Bulletin estimates that approximately 330 million people across over 150 countries are exposed annually to hazardous dust levels. Although much of this dust originates from natural sources, the UN agency attributes the growing severity to factors like mismanaged land and water resources, prolonged droughts, and worsening environmental degradation.

“Sand and dust storms do not just mean dirty windows and hazy skies. They harm the health and quality of life of millions of people and cost many millions of dollars through disruption to air and ground transport, on agriculture and on solar energy production,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo in a press statement.

Globally, dust concentrations in 2024 saw a slight decline from 2023, but some areas remained severely impacted. Chad, particularly the Bodele Depression, recorded extreme levels ranging from 800 to 1100 µg/m³ (micrograms per cubic meter of air), far surpassing international health guidelines. In the southern hemisphere, central Australia and South Africa’s western coast experienced the most significant dust activity.

This year’s storms were geographically widespread, hitting areas from the Caribbean—where Saharan dust made its annual journey across the Atlantic—to northern China, where seasonal storms extended into the summer, a pattern scientists link to climate change. In West Asia, a winter dust storm brought daily life to a standstill across Iraq, Kuwait, and the broader Arabian Peninsula.

The bulletin highlights that an estimated 2 billion tons of dust—equivalent in mass to about 307 Great Pyramids of Giza—are lifted into the atmosphere annually. Over 80% of that dust originates from regions in North Africa and the Middle East, capable of traveling vast distances, even spanning entire oceans.

Health risks tied to these storms are also mounting. A joint metric developed by the WMO and World Health Organization (WHO) found that from 2018 to 2022, about 3.8 billion people—nearly half of the global population—were exposed to dust concentrations exceeding WHO's recommended safety levels. This marks a sharp increase from the 2.9 billion (or 44.5%) recorded between 2003 and 2007.

On the economic front, the financial toll is escalating. A study published in the journal Nature reported that in 2017 alone, dust and wind erosion caused $154 billion in damages in the United States—a fourfold increase compared to 1995.

“This Bulletin shows how health risks and economic costs are rising – and how investments in dust early warnings and mitigation and control would reap large returns,” Saulo emphasized.

MENAFN10072025000045017169ID1109784762