ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Hundreds of homes and businesses across the Kurdistan Region have been devastated over the past two days due to heavy rainfall and severe flooding, while Kurdish authorities on Wednesday warned of further risks from overflowing rivers and dams.
Ramk Ramazan, mayor of Chamchamal, located west of the eastern Sulaimani province, told Rudaw that the district - hit hardest by the torrential rains - “has seen more than 500 houses and 100 businesses damaged.”
"Sadly, due to the severe weather and heavy rain, we experienced a tragic event in Chamchamal today, resulting in the deaths of two citizens and injuries to 12 others," he said.
Moreover, the Chamchamal Public Library has also “sustained significant damage, with many of its rare and unique books affected,” according to Hersh Abdulrahman, the library’s director.
"Our library is located in a low-lying area," Abdulrahman said, adding that Tuesday's flooding caused severe damage, ruining much of its collection.
Five government offices in Chamchamal - including the property registrar, passport, culture, police, and district administration departments - have all been flooded.
South of Sulaimani, all three dams in the Garmiyan Administration - the Awaspir, Bawashaswar, and Turajar dams - have overflowed, according to Habar Mahmoud, director of Garmiyan dams, who spoke to Rudaw on Wednesday.
The Awaspi dam, west of Garmiyan, holds 20 million cubic meters of water; the Bawashaswar dam to the northwest, holds six million cubic meters; and the Turajar dam, east of Garmiyan, holds two million cubic meters.
Following the overflow of the dams, authorities warned residents of Kalar, the administrative center of Garmiyan, about the threat of major flooding.
Arif Adil, mayor of Kalar, told Rudaw that the embankments of the Goban stream to the northwest “could break, leading to significant flooding in Kalar.” He urged residents whose homes are located near the streams to “relocate immediately to ensure their safety.”
Northeast of Sulaimani, heavy snowfall and uncleared roads on the Iranian side face the Kurdistan Region’s Kele border crossing in Pishdar district of the Raparin Administration.
Abubakr Bayiz, mayor of Pishdar, told Rudaw that Iranian road maintenance teams have yet to clear the road on their side of the border, resulting in “a suspension of commercial traffic and traveler movement.” The semi-official Kele crossing is one of the region’s key points for commercial trade.
In the northern Kirkuk province, Hawraz Shwani, mayor of the Shwan sub-district, said Wednesday that floods and rising water levels in the Little Zab river have caused significant damage to villages in the area.
"Sadly, nearly 400 fish ponds and dozens of agricultural equipment in the Shwan sub-district - specifically in the villages of Kapank, Smaqa, Jgila, and Qaranaw along the Little Zab river - have been destroyed due to the flooding and rising water levels," he said.
He also added that several tourist parks in the area have been flooded and ruined.
Official response
During a Wednesday press conference in Chamchamal, Kurdistan Region Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani announced that a committee has been formed to raise funds for flood victims. He said that philanthropists, business leaders, and the general public would all be invited to contribute.
Talabani stressed that ensuring residents have access to clean drinking water is an immediate priority, as the town has been cut off from safe water supplies. "Today we are all Chamchamali and we must face this incident," he emphasized.