Tourist drowns in Soran’s Khalan River

SORAN — One person drowned and two others were rescued on Sunday after three tourists fell into the Khalan River in the Khalifan subdistrict of the Soran Autonomous Administration, according to local authorities.

Rawand Hawdiani, spokesperson for Soran Civil Defense, told 964media, “The individual who drowned was a young man around 18 years old. His body was recovered shortly after and transferred to Khalifan Hospital.”

Karwan Sreshmai, director of administration at Khalifan Hospital, told 964media, “Three people were brought to our hospital after falling into the water. Two of them were rescued and are in good health, but one individual lost his life. We are currently preparing to transfer the body to the forensic medical department in Soran.”

This incident marks the 10th drowning case this summer in the rivers and streams of the Soran Autonomous Administration. It is the second fatal case in the area in the past two days.

As of late July, thirty-two people have drowned across the Kurdistan Region this year, with Erbil governorate recording the highest number of cases, according to civil defense officials.

The overall toll reflects a decrease from the same period in 2024, when 49 drownings were recorded in the first seven months.

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