Shafaq News– Erbil

Cities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq recorded a sharp rise in rainfall during the 2025 season up to December 30, compared to the same period in 2024, according to official statistics.

Data obtained by Shafaq News showed that cumulative rainfall in Erbil reached 212.8 mm during this period, compared to just 43 mm last year. In Al-Sulaymaniyah, cumulative rainfall rose to 360.8 mm, up from 183 mm in 2024.

Earlier this month, heavy rains triggered severe floods across the Kurdistan Region, affecting multiple provinces and causing widespread damage.

In Al-Sulaymaniyah, the floods killed two people, injured around a dozen others, and displaced hundreds of families, according to the Joint Crisis Coordination Center (JCC). As a result of the floods, several senior local officials in Chamchamal district resigned.

Weather observer Ali Al-Jaber Al-Ziyadi warned on Saturday of a “historic” wave of heavy rainfall set to affect Iraq, particularly in the northern regions, cautioning that the downpours could trigger flash floods in vulnerable areas, to be followed by a cold air mass bringing a noticeable drop in temperatures across the country.