A heavy sandstorm has blinded Iraq's capital and other Iraqi provinces.
Hospitals have filled with patients suffering from respiratory problems.
Police officers wore masks as they directed traffic in downtown Baghdad.
Only a few cars were seen on the deserted streets where visibility was only a few metres.
Some shops in the city were closed and most of those on the streets wore surgical masks.
Sandstorms are a regular occurrence in Iraq, but drought conditions have increased their severity.
