Iraq prepares to face natural disasters

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Minister of Migration and Displacement Evan Faik Jabro on Monday formed an emergency operations room to set up shelters in preparations for possible natural disasters.

The Minister chaired a meeting in Baghdad, where the head of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Representative to Baghdad, Fars issa, and representatives of the relevant ministries, as well as international organizations (IOM, UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, ICRC) attended the meeting. 

Minister Jabro indicated that the country may be exposed to earthquakes, and floods due to climate changes, affected by what happened in neighboring countries recently.

The officials decided to prepare an integrated plan that includes three stages: before, during, and after. The plan is based on a joint effort and preparation of shelters in case of any natural disaster.

On February 6, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit at least 10 southern provinces in Turkey, witn aftershocks felt as far as Cairo, Egypt. Kurdistan Region residents, particularly those living in high-rises, also felt the impact. 

The recent earthquakes in the region is one of the deadliest incidents the world has seen in a decade.

As search and rescue efforts are ongoing, the death toll is expected to rise in both countries, in which thousands of buildings have completely collapsed.

Also, today A 5.7-magnitude earthquake rocked Turkey's eastern province of Malatya, killing one person and wounding more than 60 people, according to the country's disaster management agency, AFAD.