Heavy rains, floods hit Iraq
Rainwater collected in the middle of a street in Iraq. Photo: Social media
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Heavy rainfall accompanied by hail in some areas hit many Iraqi governorates in the past days to form floods and torrents causing material and human losses, according to the Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology.
Baghdad, Anbar, Erbil, Nineveh, Sulaymaniyah, Diwaniyah and Kirkuk are the governorates most affected by the heavy rainfall.
Two people were killed by lightning strikes in the northern governorates of Duhok and Erbil.
The floods damaged buildings, blocked roads, and swept away orchards and cars in many governorates.
Iraqi authorities warned citizens of these floods due to the intensity and continuity of rain, asking them to be careful and to stay away from places where water collects.
Social media activists posted photos and videos showing rainwater leaking into homes, as happened, for example, in the governorates of Diwaniyah and Erbil.
The photos are also illustrating the power of thunderstorms and the resulting rains and torrential rains.
In some places, the rain is accompanied by medium and large hailstones, which cause damage to cars and windows, where people covered their vehicles with blankets and mattresses to protect them from the falling hail.
The Iraqi Civil Defense issued several recommendations and instructions to help citizens avoid the storms and the bad weather in the country.