Experts warn that the aftermath of Israeli strikes on oil depots in and around Tehran could have serious health and environmental consequences, affecting water and food sources long after the immediate impact dissipates.
The World Health Organization (WHO) raised concerns on Tuesday regarding the presence of harmful pollutants in the air following the attacks on four oil storage facilities and an oil production transfer center over the weekend. The strikes resulted in towering flames and dense, black clouds that later led to the formation of black, oily rain.
Residents in the densely populated city of 10 million people reported difficulties in breathing, along with symptoms of dizziness and skin irritation as the contaminated rain, mixed with chemicals from burning oil, descended from the sky.
WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier emphasized the respiratory risks posed by the black rain and its acidic components during a media briefing held in Geneva.
Andrew Chang explains how burning oil from depots hit by U.S.-Israeli airstrikes is falling as black rain over parts of Iran, and the danger it poses.
Images provided by The Canadian Press, Reuters and Getty Images
Following the attacks, the UN health agency received numerous reports of black rain and endorsed Iran’s recommendation for residents to stay indoors to minimize exposure.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society issued warnings about the potential for severe lung damage and skin burns resulting from the tainted rain.
‘Highly Hazardous’
Peter Ross, an expert in pollution and senior scientist at the Raincoast Conservation Foundation in Sidney, B.C., highlighted the presence of extremely toxic substances, such as benzene, in petroleum mixtures. He expressed concerns about the long-term effects of the exposure to these hazardous materials.
Ross emphasized the acute risks posed by the dispersion of toxic gases from the fires, which can lead to dizziness, unconsciousness, and even fatalities among individuals exposed to them.