Islamabad, Aug 11, 2025: More than 600 pilgrims in Iraq were taken to hospitals with respiratory problems after inhaling chlorine gas from a leak at a water treatment facility, officials confirmed on Sunday.
The incident occurred overnight along the route linking the Shia holy cities of Najaf and Karbala in central and southern Iraq. This year, millions of Shia Muslims are expected to travel to Karbala, home to the shrines of Imam Hussein and his brother Abbas, to observe Arbaeen, a 40-day mourning period marking the death of Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Mohammed.
Iraq health ministry reported that 621 people suffered from asphyxia due to the chlorine leak but were treated and discharged in stable condition. Security forces protecting pilgrims stated the leak came from a water station on the Karbala-Najaf road.
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The country infrastructure has suffered severe damage over decades of war and corruption, with safety regulations often ignored. In July, a large fire at a shopping mall in Kut killed more than 60 people, many dying from suffocation inside toilets, according to officials.
