At least 61 people were killed overnight when a fire tore through a newly opened shopping mall in the eastern Iraqi city of Kut, officials said Thursday, as anguished families scoured hospitals and morgues in search of missing loved ones.
Authorities said most of the victims suffocated in bathrooms as flames and smoke engulfed the five-storey Corniche Hypermarket Mall, which had opened just days earlier. Charred bodies lay at the province’s forensic department, where distraught relatives waited for news, many breaking down in grief.
The fire, which broke out late Wednesday, was reportedly sparked by an exploding air conditioner on the second floor before it swept through the building. Footage posted on social media showed terrified shoppers, including children, stranded on the roof calling for help.
By Thursday afternoon, the interior ministry confirmed 61 dead, including 14 victims yet to be identified. A later count from a medical source cited by state media raised the toll to 63, with at least 40 injured. Among the dead were men, women and children, Wasit Governor Mohammed al-Miyahi said.
Civil defence teams rescued more than 45 people trapped inside, but for many, help came too late.
One survivor, Dr. Nasir al-Quraishi, described how what was meant to be a simple family dinner ended in tragedy. “A disaster has befallen us,” he said, visibly shaken after losing five family members. “An air conditioner exploded and the fire erupted — and we couldn’t escape.”
Another man, Moataz Karim, said he identified the bodies of two relatives outside the forensic department — one of them had started working at the mall only three days earlier. “There is no fire extinguishing system,” he said bitterly.
Safety standards in Iraq have long been criticized as lax, with fatal fires and accidents recurring in public spaces. The country’s infrastructure, battered by decades of war and neglect, is particularly vulnerable in the searing summer heat when temperatures near 50 degrees Celsius.
In recent years, major fires have claimed scores of lives, including at a crowded wedding hall in 2023 and a Covid hospital unit in 2021.
Governor Miyahi vowed legal action against the mall’s owner and contractor, calling the tragedy “a major shock” that underscores the need for serious safety reforms. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordered a full investigation into the fire, pledging to hold accountable those responsible for any negligence.
The government declared three days of national mourning.
Condolences poured in from abroad, with Egypt, Iran, France, and the United States offering sympathy to the victims’ families. The US embassy in Baghdad extended its “deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies.”
On Thursday morning, cleanup crews began clearing the charred remains of the building, but for the people of Kut, the scars — and the questions — are likely to linger far longer.
Heavy rains kill 58 in Pakistan, South Korea; displaces thousands
Torrential rains wreaked havoc across parts of Asia this week, killing a total of at least 58 people in Pakistan and South Korea and forcing thousands from their homes, authorities in both countries said Thursday.
In Pakistan, officials reported 54 deaths in a single day across Punjab province, where seasonal monsoon downpours inundated streets and swept through villages. The country has now recorded at least 178 rain-related deaths since late June as unusually intense monsoon rains continue to pound Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Balochistan.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department said rainfall this month has been 82% above average nationwide, with Punjab alone seeing 124% more rain between July 1 and 15 than in the same period last year.
Flash floods triggered by a cloudburst in Punjab’s Jhelum district prompted emergency evacuations by boat, while streets in Rawalpindi and Lahore were submerged under water. Television footage showed an army helicopter rescuing a family stranded on their roof on the outskirts of Rawalpindi.
Authorities warned of further downpours in Islamabad, Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and other regions, urging tourists to stay away from vulnerable areas where landslides could block highways.
The National Disaster Management Authority has put local administrations on high alert and said it cannot rule out extreme weather events comparable to the devastating 2022 floods that killed more than 1,700 people and submerged a third of the country.
In South Korea, two days of relentless rain killed at least four people and forced over 1,300 to flee their homes, according to the Interior and Safety Ministry.
One fatality occurred in Osan, south of Seoul, when a retaining wall gave way, burying a car in mud and debris. Three others were found dead Thursday — one in a submerged car, another in a stream, and a third in a flooded basement in the south. Authorities said investigations are ongoing to confirm the causes.
The ministry said 1,382 people have been evacuated so far, and 46 flights have been cancelled as rain continues to batter southern regions. Parts of South Chungcheong province have recorded more than 420 millimeters (16.5 inches) of rain since Wednesday.
Forecasters in both countries are warning of more rain in the coming days, raising fears of further flooding, landslides, and damage in areas already overwhelmed by water. Emergency services remain on high alert as communities brace for what could be another round of deadly weather.