ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Rudaw’s lead anchor Ranj Sangawi on Sunday raised more than 5.88 billion Iraqi dinars - nearly $4.5 million - from just over a dozen Kurdish businessmen in less than two hours to support victims of recent flooding in the Kurdistan Region, with the total expected to grow as the fundraising campaign continues.
During a special episode of his flagship program Lagal Ranj - “With Ranj” in Kurdish - the senior presenter launched a fundraising campaign that, in just less than two hours, drew significant contributions from around 15 Kurdish businessmen who pledged billions of dinars to assist families whose homes and livelihoods were destroyed by the floods.
According to a preliminary report from the Kurdistan Region’s Joint Crisis Coordination Center (JCC), “two people were killed and 12 others injured” in Chamchamal alone. The floods also “damaged 1,607 homes, destroyed 200 vehicles, and affected 115 shops and workplaces, as well as 450 projects.”
The disaster also dealt a heavy blow to the agricultural sector, with the “deaths of approximately 15,000 chicks” in the area’s farms, the JCC said.
Charities have launched relief efforts, particularly in Chamchamal district, where aid groups are distributing essential supplies and assisting residents with cleanup and repairs, officials said.
Kurdistan Region Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani said during a Sunday press conference that “the Chamchamal flood was a natural disaster,” but added that “some measures could have been taken to mitigate the damage.”
Talabani affirmed that investigations are underway, including into the performance of some government officials in Chamchamal, to identify shortcomings and ensure accountability.
The top Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) official added that “five individuals,” whose poor performance contributed to the disaster, “were identified, four of whom accepted responsibility and resigned voluntarily,” he said.
Those who resigned include Chamchamal’s Mayor Ramk Ramazan, Municipality Chief Aram Najat, and Director of Education Abdullah Hama Karakash. The fourth individual is Burhan Abdullah, head of Shorish municipality, a large township within Chamchamal.
The funds collected during Lagal Ranj are set to be distributed through a specialized committee in accordance with Kurdistan Region laws and financial regulations, ensuring transparency and accountability throughout the process.
Rudaw Media Network and Sangawi will be transfering the funds to the Chamchamal Relief and Reconstruction Commission for distribution to eligible families in Chamchamal and other affected areas.
Sangawi is widely recognized as a leading figure in Kurdish media and a pioneer of humanitarian fundraising during times of crisis.
In 2015, he spearheaded the Ranji Shahidan - “support for the martyrs” in Kurdish - campaign, which aided families of Kurdish Peshmerga fighters who sacrificed their lives in the battle against the Islamic State (ISIS).
Two years later, in 2017, he led a major fundraising drive following a powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake that struck the town of Darbandikhan in Sulaimani, killing five people and devastating more than 120 homes and buildings. The quake also caused damage to the Darbandikhan dam - the second-largest in the Kurdistan Region.
Sangawi says the current campaign to aid flood victims will continue even after he is off the air and the cameras are switched off.
Last updated on December 15, at 7:10 am