British, Turkish Consulates Express Condolences After Deadly Flash Floods in Erbil

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The British and Turkish consulates general in Erbil on Sunday expressed their condolences to the families of those killed in severe flooding that struck the Kurdistan Region’s capital and surrounding areas.

In a statement, the British Consulate General in Erbil extended its sympathies to the families who lost loved ones and everyone affected by the severe weather across the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

“Our thoughts go out to the families who have lost loved ones in the recent flooding, and to everyone affected by the severe weather across the Kurdistan Region of Iraq,” the consulate said.

The Turkish Consulate General in Erbil also expressed sadness over the loss of life and property caused by heavy rainfall in Erbil and its surrounding areas.

“We pray to Almighty Allah for mercy upon those who have lost their lives and offer our condolences to their loved ones and all the people of Iraq,” the Turkish consulate said, adding that it was closely monitoring the situation of Turkish citizens in the affected areas.

Severe flash floods struck Erbil on Saturday night, following torrential rainfall that significantly exceeded initial meteorological forecasts.

Although authorities had initially forecast approximately 30 millimeters of rain, nearly 80 millimeters fell on the city, inundating streets and major roads and turning several thoroughfares into fast-flowing waterways.

Local authorities confirmed that two people had died in the flooding.

A five-year-old child was swept away by floodwaters from a vehicle in which he was travelling with his father. While the father managed to escape, rescue teams later recovered the child's body following an intensive search operation.

In a separate incident, a 25-year-old volunteer lost his life while attempting to rescue stranded people. The young man had brought his own front-end loader to help pull people to safety but was swept away by the powerful currents.

The flooding caused extensive damage and disrupted daily life across Erbil, as rescue teams and relevant authorities responded to the emergency.