At least three people have died and hundreds of others have had to be treated in the Sistan-Baluchistan province of southeastern Iran, which has been swept by sandstorms for three days.

The meteorological service of this province warned that strong winds and sandstorms will continue in the coming days.

So far, “1,346 people from the cities of Zabul, Zhaq, Hamoun, Hirmad and Nimruz have sought emergency medical assistance at hospitals and medical centers,” the head of the crisis management agency, Majid Mohebi, told the official Irna news agency. Most of the patients have respiratory and cardiac problems or eye irritation, he added, explaining that three people were killed in traffic accidents caused by lack of visibility from the dust.

Southeast Iran is experiencing more and more such storms as its scarce wetlands dry up at an alarming rate. This situation has caused diplomatic tensions with neighboring Afghanistan, which is accused by Tehran of having significantly reduced the water volume of the Helmand River that flows through both countries.

Iran, home to 85 million people, is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change. Sistan-Baluchistan province is often hit by heatwaves, and this summer a thousand people had to be hospitalized after developing health problems due to rising temperatures and dust clouds, Irna reported.