Engineer confirmed dead in Bazyan flooding, raising Kurdistan Region toll to five

SULAYMANIYAH — Authorities in Bazyan subdistrict in Sulaymaniyah governorate on Thursday confirmed the death of engineer Ahmad Hamed Shatri, who was swept away during this week’s flooding, raising the Kurdistan Region’s storm-related death toll to five.

Bazyan Subdistrict Administrator Ismail Ahmed told 964 that officials became certain of the drowning “after two days of searching,” explaining that “on the day of the flood, three days ago, which was Tuesday of this week, a surge of water occurred and an engineer staying in a cabin in the Kani Shaitan area was carried away by the flood and drowned.” He said search operations remain underway and noted that the victim was from Baghdad and employed by a company operating in Bazyan.

The death is the latest in a series of linked to the heavy rainfall that has battered the Kurdistan Region since Monday. In Chamchamal district of Sulaymaniyah governorate, two people were killed and 12 injured, and more than 500 houses were damaged. A fourth victim, a child, drowned in Kalar’s Gazino stream, while in Kirkuk governorate a 9-year-old girl died in Farqani village after being swept away by floodwaters.

Sulaymaniyah city recorded 122.7 millimeters of rain in 24 hours, bringing the season’s total to 258.7 millimeters, while river surges in Taqtaq destroyed hundreds of fish ponds built along surrounding waterways. Local governments in Sulaymaniyah and Halabja suspended official work as emergency teams continued clearing debris from the storms.