Erbil: Nearly 70 rescued as heavy snow paralyzes northern areas

Shafaq News– Erbil

Civil Defense teams rescued dozens of people after heavy snowfall trapped residents, tourists, and security forces in mountainous areas north of Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, a local official said on Tuesday.

Speaking during a press conference, Rawand Miqdad, spokesperson for the Civil Defense Directorate in the Soran Independent Administration, noted that the teams rescued about 70 people, including seven tourists in Sidakan, along with 35 residents from nearby border villages whose routes were cut off by heavy accumulation.

In Mergasor district, the units also brought six Peshmerga members to safety after snowfall left them unable to move.

Since late last month, mountainous parts of Erbil have recorded snowfall exceeding 30 centimeters in several locations, disrupting travel on key roads while drawing residents and tourists to the highlands transformed by winter conditions.