The impact of the ongoing war in West Asia is now visible on the environment and people’s health. There have been reports of ‘black rain’ in the city after Israeli drone strikes set fire to major oil depots and refineries on the outskirts of Tehran. Experts say that the smoke and toxic chemicals rising from burning fuel mixed with rain and fell on the city, due to which both air and water can be polluted.
According to Bloomberg report, Nejat Rahmanian, a professor of chemical and petroleum engineering at Bradford University in Britain, said that this incident reminds him of 35 years ago, when during the Gulf War, the smoke of burning oil wells in Kuwait reached thousands of kilometers away in Iran. Even at that time, toxic particles had badly affected the environment.
This time the danger is greater
According to experts, this time the danger may be greater because the oil reserves are very close to a big city like Tehran. According to the Conflict and Environment Observatory, there have been more than 300 such incidents so far in the current war, which threaten to cause serious damage to the environment. Due to the explosion of missiles and bombs, heavy metals and poisonous particles spread into the air, soil and water, the effects of which can last for many decades.
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Risk of increasing respiratory diseases
Health experts have warned that this type of pollution can increase respiratory diseases. This can be more dangerous especially for small children and pregnant women. Initially, Iranian officials advised people to stay indoors and said that acid rain could damage skin and lungs.
Tehran is already struggling with the problem of serious air pollution. Due to heavy industries around the city, large number of vehicles and geographical location, pollutants remain trapped in the air for a long time. Experts say that if attacks on oil reserves and energy sites in the region continue, it could affect not only Iran but the environment and health of the entire region.
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