Drought drives scores of tourists to Dukan: Official
Key Erbil water project nears completion
Turkey intensifies strikes as PKK weighs disarmament: Watchdog
Kurdistan Region overhauls taxi system with green vehicle shift
First Crimean-Congo fever patient dies in Duhok
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The number of tourists flocking to Sulaimani province's Dukan has doubled due to low rainfall across the country, a local official said on Saturday, as citizens look to cool off amid rising temperatures.
'We make complete preparations to welcome tourists in the best way possible, and due to low rainfall and drought this year, the number of tourists has gradually increased and doubled,' Rejin Raouf, the head of Dukan tourism, told Rudaw.
According to Raouf, approximately 40,000 tourists visit Dukan on the weekends, and nearly 500,000 tourists have visited since Eid.
Dukan is a resort town in Sulaimani province located on the Little Zab river, making it a popular tourist destination, especially during the scorching summer months when citizens from the Kurdistan Region and Iraq seek to escape the scorching temperatures.
'Many tourists are heading to Dukan because of its weather and the availability of water,' Raouf said, adding that the resort town is fully booked until Friday.
Iraq is the fifth most vulnerable to climate change, including water and food insecurity, according to the UN. It is facing a severe water shortage because of reduced precipitation, higher temperatures, and waste mismanagement.
Scorching temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius are routinely recorded in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in the summer, coupled with water scarcity, desertification, and reduced rainfall.
The World Resources Institute places Iraq among 25 countries that face extreme water stress, meaning that it is using over 80 percent of its available supply of water and is at risk of running out of water in case of any short-term drought.
With the exception of Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region's provinces have seen less rain this year than the previous year, according to information obtained by Rudaw.
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