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The Iraqi Green Observatory warned that Iraq will face acid rain similar to the one that fell on it in 1991 during the Second Gulf War, noting that this rain will harm respiratory patients “greatly .”
The observatory said in a press statement, “The Meteorological Authority warned last week of acid rain falling on Iraq due to the pollution in the skies of the capital, Baghdad, and it even affected the nearby governorates .”
The observatory expected that “these rains will be similar to the rains that fell in 1991 during the Second Gulf War after the burning of oil wells in the State of Kuwait,” adding that “at that time the rains, It rained in Iraq and was black, indicating pollution and acidity .
The observatory confirmed that “such rains lead to damage to trees, grass and soil due to acid concentrations, and thus are transmitted to the cultivated vegetables and fruits .”
In its statement, the observatory called on the responsible authorities to “address this pollution as soon as possible, by taking urgent measures to address its causes, and to emphasize that such cases will not be repeated in the future, which have raised anxiety and terror among the residents of Baghdad, Iraq, and have sent some of them to hospitals, especially those close to the sources of pollution and those suffering from respiratory diseases .”
Iraq has documented cases of acid rain, especially in industrial areas such as the Dora refinery in Baghdad, and other areas near oil fields such as Zubair in Basra .
University studies have indicated that Baghdad was among the areas most affected by high acidity in rainfall, especially around industrial areas .
A field study in 2016-2017 in Basra Governorate, specifically in Al-Zubair and Al-Hartha, showed high concentrations of sulfur oxides and nitrates in the air, which led to acid rain in those areas .
Acid rain is a type of precipitation that contains high levels of acids, as a result of the reaction of harmful gases such as sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) with water vapor in the atmosphere, which leads to the formation of sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) and nitric acid (HNO₃).
These rains cause significant damage to the environment, including soil degradation, water pollution, and building erosion.
