Eight people killed due to flash floods in northern Iraq

Eight people killed due to flash floods in northern Iraq. 

Irbil: At least eight people have been killed. Iraqi officials said a different number are expected to be injured in severe flooding caused by torrential rain across Northern Iraq.

Omed Khoshnaw, governor of Irbil province in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region, told the media that the deaths took place mainly within Daratu district. 

In comments to local media, Rudaw said that seven people died because of the flooding of flashes and one following a lightning strike.

The spokesman said that children and women were also considered to be the most feared in the grave.

The mayor asked residents to stay at their homes and stated that the flooding would last for several days.

The river’s waters were muddy and swept through in the Daratu, Qushtapa, Shamamk, Zhyan, Roshinbiri and Bahrka districts early on Friday, causing flooding of homes and streets.

The magnitude of the damages and the number of casualties are unclear.

However, Kurdistan’s prime minister Masrour Barzani has said he is “deeply grieved by the loss of life and the damage” due to the flood. 

Civil defense teams were on the scene to aid the injured and find the missing.

“I’ve directed all government agencies to provide immediate assistance and help to those affected,” Barzani tweeted.

The floods come because the Kurdish region is battling an unprecedented dry year. The water levels this year at the Darbandikhan dam were among the lowest they have been in its history of 65 years.