SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region — The number of drowning deaths in the Kurdistan Region has reached 53 this year after three tragic incidents on Friday.
Drowning incidents have become alarmingly frequent, especially in popular tourist spots. Fridays, a common day for trips, often see a spike in such tragedies as locals and tourists seek relief from the intense summer heat.
On Friday morning, a 30-year-old tourist from Erbil drowned while swimming in the Great Zab River. Local diving teams spent several hours recovering his body, Zoom News’ Rebin Sardar reported.
In a separate incident, Zoom News’ Andam Ahmad reported from Erbil’s Koya district that a 25-year-old woman from Sulaimani’s Chamchamal district drowned in the Little Zab River after accidentally falling in while visiting the area.
Later that evening, Zakho’s civil defense department reported a third drowning in the Khabir River, involving a 55-year-old man. This was the second drowning in the same river in two days. “We were alerted by locals about a drowning incident in the city’s Khabir River. Our diving teams quickly arrived at the scene, recovered the body, and transported it to the medical institute for forensic examination,” the department stated on Facebook.
Just a week earlier, on July 20, Sarkawt Karash, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Region’s Civil Defense, told Zoom News that 49 people had drowned in the region this year, with over 100 others rescued from near-drowning incidents. The addition of Friday’s three victims brings this year’s total to 53.
Three people drowned in the Kurdistan Region on Friday, raising this year’s total to 53. A 30-year-old man from Erbil, a 25-year-old woman from Sulaimani’s Chamchamal district, and a 55-year-old man from Zakho drowned in the Great Zab, Little Zab, and Khabir rivers, respectively.… pic.twitter.com/ZKOjcFUZnb
— Zoom News (@zoomnewskrd) July 26, 2024
Authorities attribute the rise in drownings to a lack of public awareness and disregard for safety instructions issued by civil defense directorates. Locals, on the other hand, blame insufficient safety measures, such as the absence of barrier rails along rivers and the lack of nearby diving teams for prompt rescues.
In another incident on Friday morning, a 23-year-old man drowned in Khasa Dam in Kirkuk province while fishing.
Following Friday’s drownings, the KRG’s Civil Defense issued a statement expressing regret over the recent deaths and urging civilians to avoid swimming in unsafe areas. The statement also emphasized the importance of adhering to safety guidelines to prevent further tragedies, highlighting the need for greater public awareness and caution.
