ABU DHABI, June 13 (RIA Novosti) - Winds blowing in from Iraq will carry about 2 billion tons of sandy dust to the Arabian Peninsula during the next week, the Ar-Raya newspaper said on Monday, quoting Saudi Arabian meteorologists.

Sandy storms threaten northeast and central parts of the Arabian Peninsula, especially Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, as a result of hot weather in the region.

Low levels of precipitation in Iraq during the last decade have led to a sharp reduction in plant growth in the country, allowing seasonal winds to carry masses of sandy dust towards the Arabian Peninsula.

The health ministries of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have urged people to avoid being in the open air as much as possible and to be careful when driving due low visibility.