Why black rain in Iran is raising health concerns – Firstpost

For the reason that battle started on February 28, Iran has been going through incessant bombing by the US and Israel.

Now, northern Iran is shrouded by darkish clouds and elements of the nation are witnessing polluted rainfall because of the air strikes on main oil storage amenities within the nation.

The phenomenon, generally known as ‘black rain’, got here after Israeli strikes on oil reservoirs on Saturday (March 7). This in flip led to fires which have been burning for days. Officers have warned that this has resulted in a major quantity of pollution within the air.

The poisonous rain is already inflicting well being issues amongst Iranians, with a number of complaining of complications and problem respiratory.

Let’s take a better look.

What’s ‘black rain’?

‘Black rain’ refers to rainfall that turns into contaminated with particles comparable to soot, ash, oil droplets, or industrial pollution. These substances combine with raindrops as they fall by way of polluted air, inflicting the rain to seem darkish or oily.

When massive quantities of smoke, soot or chemical compounds are current within the environment, raindrops accumulate these pollution and carry them to the bottom. It may possibly happen after massive oil fires or refinery explosions, wildfires producing heavy smoke, industrial air pollution occasions, volcanic eruptions, and nuclear explosions or fallout.

Reviews counsel that fires at oil infrastructure launched hydrocarbons, sulphur compounds and different pollution into the air, which later mixed with rainfall and led to the darkish precipitation noticed in sure areas.

What occurred in Iran?

To this point, Iran has witnessed over 1,300 deaths whereas 13 folks have misplaced their lives in Israel for the reason that battle started.

Israeli forces destroyed oil reservoirs over the weekend. The oil depots in Karaj, Shehran, Aghdasiyeh, and a refinery in Tehran are the 4 main oil amenities which have been focused. The ability in Tehran alone is able to refining round 225,000 barrels of crude oil every day.

💔🇮🇷 The animals dropped such huge bombs on Iran’s oil depots that the noon skies at the moment are black

The rain is oily & darkish

Let’s hope we don’t have to listen to them cry when Iran responds… pic.twitter.com/aBP2RQi7ox

— Jackson Hinkle 🇺🇸 (@jacksonhinklle) March 8, 2026

The large fires brought about the pollution to hover over Tehran, a metropolis of practically 10 million residents. A storm system over the weekend then introduced areas of rain to elements of the nation, inflicting the pollution to combine with rainfall and fall to the bottom as contaminated precipitation, generally described as “black rain”, in line with Iranian officers.

For ;black rain’ to be produced, the concentrations of pollution should be “extraordinarily excessive,” Charles Driscoll, a professor of environmental engineering at Syracuse College, informed ABC Information. In response to CEOBS, a UK-based non-profit that tracks the environmental penalties of battle and army operations, the scenario resulted in a “main environmental incident”.

A number of movies and pictures of the ‘black rain’ and thick smoke from the nationwide capital Tehran have been circulating on-line. In response to some residents, a thick and oily movie has lined automobiles and rooftops.

🇮🇷 Black rain fell in Tehran this morning. Residents and reporters described it as rainwater blended with oil and soot from burning storage amenities and gasoline. pic.twitter.com/zbhFQZg1Mm

— Argonaut (@FapeFop90614) March 8, 2026

What are risks of ‘black rain’?

The WHO has cautioned that the oil-tainted rain might have speedy and long-term well being penalties. “The black rain and the acidic rain coming with it’s certainly a hazard for the inhabitants, respiratory primarily,” WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier stated throughout a briefing.

‘Black rain’ can have a number of well being dangers together with each short- and long-term well being points. A few of the short-term dangers embrace complications or problem in respiratory, particularly if folks have bronchial asthma or lung illness.

The longer-term results embrace an elevated most cancers threat with extended publicity to compounds within the air. When ultrafine particles (PM2.5) are inhaled, they’ll enter the bloodstream. This has been linked to a variety of well being impacts together with cancers, neurological situations and numerous cardiovascular situations.

‘Black rain’ may cause pores and skin and eye irritation, respiratory issues together with different well being points.

With inputs from businesses