ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The body of a 62-year-old man who drowned in Halabja was recovered on Friday morning, The New Region has learned, with separate searches ongoing for a child who fell into a river at one of the province's summer resorts.

Twenty-four hours after Mohammed Hassan, 62, from the Kurdistan Region, drowned in the Little Zab River, his body was recovered by rescue teams.

Ali Qadir, spokesperson for the Raparin Civil Defense Police, told The New Region that it remains unclear whether Hassan was swimming or accidentally fell into the water.

On Tuesday evening, a 12-year-old girl from Karbala, identified as Ruqiya Rafid, fell into the waters at one of Halabja’s summer resorts, with her body not having yet been found.

Following the tragic cases, summer resorts near rivers in Halabja were closed for two days as a precautionary measure to protect the public and facilitate search efforts. Many citizens from across the Kurdistan Region and Iraq flock to such tourist hotspots in the summer to enjoy the area's natural beauty and waterways, along which several hotels and restaurants are located.

Drowning incidents in the Kurdistan Region’s bodies of water have repeatedly made headlines due to unpredictable currents and waves, as well as the Region’s rugged countryside.

On Friday, the Khurmal District Directorate, following consultations with Halabja provincial officials, decided to reopen the summer resorts, including the Ahmadawa resort and Zalm Spring, to citizens and tourists.

Civil defense teams, volunteers, and local residents continued search efforts on Friday using various equipment, while authorities urged citizens and tourists to cooperate and report any information related to the missing tourist.