Scorching summer drives Iraqis to rivers

Shafaq News – Baghdad

Iraqis are flocking to rivers across Baghdad and Babil to escape a searing heatwave, as temperatures soar past 49°C in multiple cities.

In the capital, residents gather along the Tigris each afternoon despite pollution and safety warnings, seeking relief from the oppressive heat. In Al-Hilla, children from buffalo-herding communities jump into local rivers, splashing beside their animals to cool off under the blazing sun.

The country recorded some of the world’s highest temperatures on Saturday, according to data from California’s Placerville Weather Station. Basra International Airport topped the global list at 49.3°C, followed by Al-Nasiriyah (48.8°C), Amarah and Khanaqin (48.3°C), Najaf, Badrah, and Basra al-Hussein (48.2°C), Al-Kut (Al-Hayy) (47.9°C), Ali al-Gharbi and Karbala (47.8°C), and Al-Rifai (47.7°C).

A January 2025 report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) warns that Iraq’s average summer temperatures are rising rapidly and could reach 60°C in some regions by 2060.

Compounding the crisis are weakening cooling winds and intensifying urban heat islands. The effects are far-reaching—public health is strained by heat-related illness, while agriculture suffers from accelerated evaporation and dwindling water supplies in the Tigris and Euphrates. The added pressure on Iraq’s fragile power grid from soaring air-conditioning use has triggered blackouts, leaving many to endure dangerous conditions indoors.