Socioeconomic and Health Impacts of Dust Storms in Southwest Iran

Dust storms are frequent meteorological phenomena in the arid and semi-arid regions of Khuzestan province (KHP) in southwest Iran. These storms result in significant social and economic repercussions that extend beyond mere meteorological and climatic disturbances. Over the past decade, they have become the primary cause of substantial environmental and socio-economic damage in the region. In this study, we aim to assess the economic impacts of sand/dust storms (SDSs) on human health, agriculture (specifically Estamran dates), and migration in KHP. Our findings reveal the following economic consequences: Respiratory diseases incurred a financial loss of approximately USD 14 million, with more than 450 individuals requiring hospitalization at a cost exceeding USD 0.04 million between April and July 2022. In addition, cardiovascular diseases related to SDSs resulted in costs exceeding USD 1.9 million within the same time frame. Cities near the sources of dust storms experienced a cumulative damage cost of approximately USD 6.8 million. The local population in these cities also suffered more significant adverse effects compared to those in cities farther from the influence of dust storms in southwest Iran. We further evaluated the impact of SDSs on the quality of Estamran dates by analyzing 20 samples from key Estamran date production areas in KHP, including Ahvaz, Abadan, Khorramshahr, and Shadegan. The cost of damages (COD) in this sector was estimated at around USD 18.3 million, with Shadegan bearing the brunt of the loss at approximately USD 8.3 million. SDSs also have an important social economic impact due to deterioration of living conditions and migration in KHP. In total, the socio-economic costs of SDSs in these three sectors amounted to about USD 39 million. This is particularly concerning considering that Khuzestan province contributed 14.8% to Iran’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2020, representing 50% of the economic output of southwestern provinces. Therefore, the current findings represent an alarming situation regarding the socio-economic impacts of dust storms in SW Iran.