Two children drown at tourist site in Erbil’s Shaqlawa

ERBIL — Two children, a brother and sister, drowned at a tourist site in Shaqlawa, Erbil, on Sunday, according to a source at Shaqlawa Hospital who spoke to 964media.

The source said the children, part of a visiting family, drowned in a pool at one of the recreational gardens while their parents were briefly indoors.

According to the source, the family had come to Shaqlawa for a trip and were in one of the area’s gardens when the incident happened. The parents had gone inside temporarily, during which time the children, aged six and seven, entered a pool and drowned.

The source said the children’s bodies were initially transferred to Shaqlawa Hospital, and were later sent to the forensic department in Erbil for further medical examination.

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.