EPA official blames dust storms on "faulty human activities"

KUWAIT, March 20 (KUNA) -- Director of the Coastal Desertification Department of Kuwait's Environment Public Authority (EPA) Farah Ibrahim said the faulty human activities risk degenerate the wildlife and result in dust storms.
Speaking to KUNA on Tuesday in the wake of the dust storm that hit the country early this week, Farah said: "The hazardous human practices such as overgrazing and irregular camping lead to erosion of soil, thus preparing the ground for dust and sand storms if wind blows." "A moderate wind can stir dust storms made up of organic particles, silica dioxide, bacteria, parasites and dust particles, while a relatively strong wind can carry, in addition to this, grains of sand," she explained.
"The dust storms originate mainly from the coastal areas such as Warba and Boubyan islands, Kuwait Bay and Khor Al-Sabiyah which have large amounts for silt and rock residues," she said, citing recent studies conducted by Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR).
The dust storms pose several health and security hazards; they pushed the numbers of patients suffering asthma and breathing difficulties to 2,000 a year, or 175 a day, thus costing the Ministry of Health up to KD 30,000 annually.
"The storms also pushed the daily number of road accidents to 275 compared to 92 accidents in a normal day," she added. (end) zak.ysa.gb KUNA 202028 Mar 12NNNN