The poor need alerts too

Dust storm arriving at Dori, Sahel Region, Burkina Faso – May 23, 2016. Credit: ACMAD-MESA

Growing up in Ghana, I learned how harsh the harmattan can be. The dry, dusty wind from the Sahara sweeps across West Africa from November to March. It brings dust storms that damage airways, eyes and skin, and sudden cold spells that can jeopardise vulnerable people. Now climate change threatens to magnify its threat, as the harmattan becomes more severe and less predictable, and carries more dust.READ MORE