A woman holds an umbrella during heavy rain in Basra in southern Iraq. AFP
A woman holds an umbrella during heavy rain in Basra in southern Iraq. AFP
A woman holds an umbrella during heavy rain in Basra in southern Iraq. AFP
A woman holds an umbrella during heavy rain in Basra in southern Iraq. AFP

Hope and tragedy after unprecedented heavy rains sweep Iraq


Sinan Mahmoud
  • English
  • Arabic

In an unexpected turn of weather patterns, heavy rains have swept Iraq, offering a glimmer of relief to a nation often parched by drought, but also bringing tragedy to several parts of a country ill-prepared for such a deluge.

Meteorologists have described this month's downpours as unparalleled in recent memory. They expect rain to continue through the end of this month.

Over the past 20 days, Iraq has been under the influence of a low-pressure system coming from the Red Sea, the weather service spokesman Amir Al Jabiri told The National, adding that the northern province of Dahuk has had the highest level of rain, at 286 millimetres, followed by Baghdad at 91.1 millimetres.

The high levels of rainfall have left a mark on Iraq's landscape, which the UN has identified as the fifth most vulnerable to climate change. Government officials and farmers say they hope for a bountiful winter season, particularly for wheat, and are now looking forward to the summer.

In recent years, Iraq has experienced its worst drought in decades, with temperatures exceeding 50°C last summer. Dwindling water flows in the Tigris and Euphrates are also due to upstream dams in Turkey and Iran, mismanagement, and environmental degradation.

Desertification affects 39 per cent of the country, and 54 per cent of its agricultural land has been degraded, mainly due to soil salinity caused by historically low river levels, rain scarcity and rising sea levels.

According to the Water Resources Ministry, the rains and floods varied in intensity from “moderate to extremely heavy”, boosting the strategic water reserves in the reservoirs by 10 per cent. Those reserves will be further boosted in the coming two months when snow melts in the upper basins of the Tigris and Euphrates, both of which originate from Turkey.

However, amid the optimism, tragedy struck in several parts of the country as flash floods wreaked havoc on communities ill-prepared for such a deluge. At least two people were killed and 11 others injured by floodwaters in Dahuk province, where houses were submerged, cars swept away, and infrastructure damaged as rivers swelled beyond their banks.

Men clear debris in a flooded street following heavy rains in Dohuk in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region. AFP
Men clear debris in a flooded street following heavy rains in Dohuk in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region. AFP

Reviving the marshes

The downpours have revived the Iraqi marshes, a Unesco World Heritage Site thought to be the biblical Garden of Eden. The marshes suffered terrible drought, forcing their inhabitants to flee to cities. The cumulative percentage of flooded areas in the marshes has reached more than 30 per cent this year, with some parts at 50 per cent, the ministry's statement added.

“Thank God, the situation is more than perfect with the heavy rains year,” Raad Al Ghalibi, a resident of Chebayesh marshes, part of the central marshes in Thi Qar province, told The National.

“With the abundant water, our buffaloes are in good condition and the reeds are growing well as if they have been fertilised,” he added.

Thank God, the situation is more than perfect with the heavy rains year
says Raad Al Ghalibi,
a resident of Iraqi marshes

In recent years, the once vibrant and thriving Iraqi marshes shrank from nearly 4,000 square kilometres in 2005 to less than 500 square kilometres.

As water levels decline, inhabitants of the marshlands such as Mr Al Ghalibi witnessed first-hand the devastating consequences, including the loss of livestock, the outbreak of skin diseases, and the absence of clean, life-sustaining water.

“We lived in constant fear and despair,” he said.

“We are very happy now and tourists are also back to the marshes and the people are benefiting."

Iraqi men sweep away mud and water following heavy rains in the Dohuk region of Iraq. AFP
Iraqi men sweep away mud and water following heavy rains in the Dohuk region of Iraq. AFP

The Ministry of Agriculture has expressed optimism, hailing the precipitation as a "blessing" for Iraqi farmers, particularly those reliant on winter crops like wheat.

"This rainfall promises a prosperous winter season ahead," the ministry spokesman Mohammed Al Khuzaie told The National.

Mr Al Khuzaie said wheat production is expected to exceed six million tons this year, achieving self-sufficiency and allowing for exports.

"The wheat fields across Iraq received all five of their irrigations from rainfall, meaning we didn't need to use water from rivers and reservoirs," he added, explaining that “the rains helped us to save our water resources for the summer season, which will be promising mainly for rice farmers".

“God willing, the next season will see the revival of rice planting in central and southern Iraq,” he said.

A man walks through the water in a flooded street in a neighbourhood on the eastern side of Iraq's northern city of Mosul. AFP
A man walks through the water in a flooded street in a neighbourhood on the eastern side of Iraq's northern city of Mosul. AFP
European arms

Known EU weapons transfers to Ukraine since the war began: Germany 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles. Luxembourg 100 NLAW anti-tank weapons, jeeps and 15 military tents as well as air transport capacity. Belgium 2,000 machine guns, 3,800 tons of fuel. Netherlands 200 Stinger missiles. Poland 100 mortars, 8 drones, Javelin anti-tank weapons, Grot assault rifles, munitions. Slovakia 12,000 pieces of artillery ammunition, 10 million litres of fuel, 2.4 million litres of aviation fuel and 2 Bozena de-mining systems. Estonia Javelin anti-tank weapons.  Latvia Stinger surface to air missiles. Czech Republic machine guns, assault rifles, other light weapons and ammunition worth $8.57 million.

The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

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Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

Gifts exchanged
  • King Charles - replica of President Eisenhower Sword
  • Queen Camilla -  Tiffany & Co vintage 18-carat gold, diamond and ruby flower brooch
  • Donald Trump - hand-bound leather book with Declaration of Independence
  • Melania Trump - personalised Anya Hindmarch handbag
Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.

SPECS

Nissan 370z Nismo

Engine: 3.7-litre V6

Transmission: seven-speed automatic

Power: 363hp

Torque: 560Nm

Price: Dh184,500

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Day 4

England 290 & 346
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Sri Lanka require another 75 runs with three wickets remaining

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Timeline

1947
Ferrari’s road-car company is formed and its first badged car, the 125 S, rolls off the assembly line

1962
250 GTO is unveiled

1969
Fiat becomes a Ferrari shareholder, acquiring 50 per cent of the company

1972
The Fiorano circuit, Ferrari’s racetrack for development and testing, opens

1976
First automatic Ferrari, the 400 Automatic, is made

1987
F40 launched

1988
Enzo Ferrari dies; Fiat expands its stake in the company to 90 per cent

2002
The Enzo model is announced

2010
Ferrari World opens in Abu Dhabi

2011
First four-wheel drive Ferrari, the FF, is unveiled

2013
LaFerrari, the first Ferrari hybrid, arrives

2014
Fiat Chrysler announces the split of Ferrari from the parent company

2015
Ferrari launches on Wall Street

2017
812 Superfast unveiled; Ferrari celebrates its 70th anniversary

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Remaining Fixtures

Wednesday: West Indies v Scotland
Thursday: UAE v Zimbabwe
Friday: Afghanistan v Ireland
Sunday: Final

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The National selections

Al Ain

5pm: Bolereau
5.30pm: Rich And Famous
6pm: Duc De Faust
6.30pm: Al Thoura​​​​​​​
7pm: AF Arrab​​​​​​​
7.30pm: Al Jazi​​​​​​​
8pm: Futoon

Jebel Ali

1.45pm: AF Kal Noor​​​​​​​
2.15pm: Galaxy Road
2.45pm: Dark Thunder
3.15pm: Inverleigh​​​​​​​
3.45pm: Bawaasil​​​​​​​
4.15pm: Initial
4.45pm: Tafaakhor

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The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

Wicked: For Good

Director: Jon M Chu

Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater

Rating: 4/5

Past winners of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

2016 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)

2015 Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)

2014 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)

2013 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)

2012 Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)

2011 Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)

2010 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)

2009 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)

 

Updated: March 25, 2024, 2:52 PM