Aqaba, April 5 (Petra) -- Twelve people were treated for respiratory difficulties in Aqaba’s southern industrial zone on Sunday evening following an increase in airborne dust and industrial emissions, authorities said.

A spokesperson for the Public Security Directorate (PSD) said Civil Defense teams responded to reports of breathing distress among workers and residents in the area. Initial investigations and air quality tests attributed the incident to high concentrations of dust carrying factory emissions. Officials confirmed that no chemical or gas leaks were detected within the industrial facility or the surrounding area.

The affected individuals were evacuated to Prince Hashem Military Hospital, where medical staff described their conditions as stable to moderate.

Joint specialized teams from the Civil Defense, the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, the Ports Corporation, and a hazardous materials unit conducted comprehensive inspections of all nearby factories.

The spokesperson reaffirmed that the technical sweeps found no evidence of hazardous material leaks, concluding that the incident was caused by atmospheric conditions mixing with standard industrial output.

//Petra// AF