Drownings down in Kurdistan Region, but Erbil records highest number in 2025

ERBIL — Thirty-two people have drowned across the Kurdistan Region so far this year, with Erbil governorate recording the highest number of cases, according to civil defense officials.

“Since the beginning of this year until now, 32 drowning cases have been recorded in the Kurdistan Region,” said Sarkawt Karash, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Regional Government’s civil defense. “The highest number was in Erbil governorate, with 11 cases.”

Karash told 964media on Monday that no drownings have been reported in Sulaymaniyah or Halabja this year. The overall toll reflects a decrease from the same period in 2024, when 49 drownings were recorded in the first seven months.

One of the most recent incidents occurred on June 22, when a father and his two children drowned in a stream near Koya. Rescue teams recovered the father’s body and that of one child the same day. The second child’s body was found two weeks later.

Despite repeated warnings from authorities, many residents and tourists continue to visit rivers and lakes to cool off in the summer heat, often underestimating the risks.

In one high-profile case, Avesta Yousif, 27, disappeared on April 5 after jumping into the Mergasor River in Soran district in an attempt to save her brother. While he survived, Avesta has not been found. Civil defense teams conducted what they described as an “intensive” search for several weeks, but she remains missing.