Flash flooding in Erbil killed at least two people and damaged homes, businesses and public infrastructure Saturday after rainfall greatly exceeded the forecast, Gulf News reported, citing local authorities.
Erbil Gov. Omed Khoshnaw said Sunday that about 80 millimeters of rain fell, compared with a forecast of 30 millimeters. Rudaw cited preliminary assessments that put damage to homes, vehicles, businesses and public infrastructure at about $8.1 million.
Khoshnaw identified a 5-year-old boy and a 25-year-old volunteer among the victims. The volunteer had been using his bulldozer to help residents when floodwater swept him away, he said.
The boy was riding with his father in a vehicle in New Erbil when the water drove it into a flooded ditch. His father escaped, and rescuers later recovered the boy.
Emergency crews, civil defense personnel, police and municipal workers rescued residents, pumped out water and cleared debris. Khoshnaw said conditions had become manageable after the rain stopped, though flooding still lingered in some areas. The Barzani Charity Foundation deployed 10 field teams to assist families and assess damage with local authorities.
