A 25-year-old man died after reportedly turning back to help people caught in Erbil’s floodwaters, as residents began clearing mud and debris from homes and streets on Sunday. The New Region reported that Mohammed Rasul was swept away during rescue efforts after heavy rain flooded the city on Saturday evening.
Rasul had brought a shovel to help rescue people, The New Region reported, citing relatives. One relative said he turned back to help two people trapped in a car; they escaped, but Rasul was submerged by the current. Channel 8 English also reported condolences from PUK President Bafel Jalal Talabani, who highlighted the young man’s sacrifice while trying to save others.
The flooding also killed a five-year-old boy, according to The New Region and Kurdistan24. However, reports differed on the overall death toll: Shafaq News reported that Erbil Governor Omed Xoshnaw said three people had died, while the other two outlets reported two deaths.
Kurdistan24 reported that about 80 millimetres of rain fell, substantially more than the 30 millimetres initially forecast. Rescue teams worked through the night and rescued around 300 people, including residents stranded in flooded areas, the outlet said. Floodwater inundated homes, shops and roads and swept away vehicles.
Residents were seen clearing their homes and streets on Sunday, The New Region reported in a post from Erbil. The Kurdistan Region president also spoke by telephone with the governor about the aftermath, according to Kurdistan Chronicle.
Authorities’ final casualty count and the full extent of the damage were not clear in the reports available.
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