Experts are warning about the potential severe health and environmental impacts of recent Israeli airstrikes on oil depots in and around Tehran. The strikes have raised concerns about long-lasting effects on water and food sources beyond the immediate aftermath of the attacks.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a caution regarding the presence of toxic pollutants in the air following the strikes on four oil storage facilities and an oil production transfer center over the weekend. The aftermath of the attacks resulted in towering flames and dense black clouds, which eventually led to the formation of black, oily rain.
Residents in the densely populated city of 10 million people reported experiencing difficulties in breathing and symptoms like dizziness and burning sensations as the black, oily rain, infused with chemicals from burning oil, descended from the sky.
WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier emphasized the respiratory risks posed by the black rain and acidic components, particularly highlighting the danger to the population’s respiratory health.
The phenomenon of black rain caused by burning oil depots hit by U.S.-Israeli airstrikes in Iran is explained by Andrew Chang, highlighting the associated risks.
Images courtesy of The Canadian Press, Reuters, and Getty Images
Following the attacks, the UN health agency received numerous reports of black rain occurrences and echoed Iran’s advisory urging people to stay indoors.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society issued a warning about the potential serious lung damage and chemical burns that could result from exposure to the rain.
‘Highly Toxic’
According to pollution expert Peter Ross from the Raincoast Conservation Foundation in Sidney, B.C., petroleum mixtures contain a myriad of petroleum hydrocarbons, some of which, like benzene, are extremely toxic. He expressed concerns about the significant and lasting consequences that could arise from the exposure to these hazardous substances.
Ross highlighted the acute risks posed by dispersing toxic gases into the atmosphere through fires, emphasizing the potential for severe health implications such as dizziness, loss of consciousness, and even fatalities.
Reports of individuals experiencing eye irritation indicate the potential presence of sulfur and nitrogen oxides in the fires, reminiscent of the acid rain issues of past decades.
Ross expressed concerns about the carcinogenic properties of certain compounds and the likelihood of long-term health risks, particularly as petroleum substances disperse into water bodies and groundwater.
