At least 50 people were killed after a fire broke out in a shopping center in the city of Kut, south of Baghdad, Iraqi media reported on Thursday morning.  

Earlier, the Wasit Governorate Police Command announced a full mobilization of civil defense teams to extinguish the blaze that erupted at the Corniche hypermarket mall.   

According to the media, the city's Governor Mohammed Al-Mayahi supervised the rescue of trapped citizens himself, while firefighters worked to put out the fire.   

In a statement to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), the police department said: "There are ongoing efforts and a full mobilization of civil defense teams. With the participation of all security and service formations in the governorate, operations to extinguish the fire that broke out at the Corniche Hypermarket Mall in the center of Kut are continuing."  

For its part, the Wasit Governorate Office stated in a statement that "Civil Defense was able to reach citizens trapped at the top of the building that was engulfed in flames in the center of Kut," noting that "the Governor of Wasit is supervising the rescue of citizens trapped inside the hypermarket mall building that suffered the fire."  

A video was posted online showing a huge blaze eating the building while firefighters were trying to stop it.  

The downpours resulted in record rainfall in the area, and more wet weather was forecast for Thursday night, the Korea Meteorological Administration said.