12 people have drowned in different rivers and water projects in Kirkuk within a month.
The latest incident took place this month when two sisters, Fatima Ali and Tabarak Ali, eight and five years old, respectively, drowned in Taza water project. The two sister were playing when they accidentally fell into the water.
The corpse of the two sisters were soon found in the water.
Salahaddin Rajab, a river police officer, told KirkukNow that within a month 12 persons have drowned and another four persons have been rescued by their teams.
The incidents took place in Daquq rivers, Little Zab river, Shirin dam, Khasa dam and the water projects in Hawija and Taza.
On Friday, June 19, the teams of the river police found the corpse of a drowned person in Little Zab river. The person, named AbdulAziz Sufyan, ,17, was missing at the river for a week when they found him.
River police has just found the corpse of a 17-year-old boy at Little Zab river. Video: Medica office of river police
Rajab claimed that, “we continuously sought for the body until his corpse surfaced near Dubis dam… the flow of the river is fast that moved the corpse to near Dibis dam.”
KirkukNow’s data reveals that five persons have drowned in Daquq water project within 30 days, convincing people to call for opening a river police office in the district, with the provision of necessary equipment to the teams of the civil defense.
Rajab said that the river police teams consists of 40 persons, with a scuba diver, adding that all of them have the necessary qualifications.
Rajab revealed that they are ready to help with any incident; however, they lack enough vehicles and boats, despite the insufficient number of police officers and employees.
Yearly, people go to different dams, lakes and rivers to swim during summer due to the warm weather. Some of drown as a result of the lack of proper swimming skills.
