Erbil Orders Flood Probe And Damage Count As Cleanup Begins
Governor’s meeting creates a joint cleanup room and an investigation committee, and tasks teams with recording residents’ losses and restoring waterways after Saturday night’s deadly flash flood
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - Erbil Governor Omed Xoshnaw chaired a special meeting on Sunday in the aftermath of Saturday night’s flash flood and issued five urgent decisions to restore normal life and help those affected, according to a statement from the governorate. The flood killed two people, a 25-year-old volunteer and a 5-year-old child, and flooded homes, shops and roads across the city.
The first decision creates a joint room to clear streets, alleys and other places where mud, silt and debris have gathered.
The second forms an investigation committee to determine the main causes of the flood.
The third tasks the governorate’s crisis department, in coordination with the Barzani Charity Foundation and all relevant parties, with assessing and recording all material losses suffered by residents.
The fourth directs the General Directorate of Municipalities and the Erbil Roads Directorate to clean all roads around and outside the city, and the fifth directs the Irrigation Directorate to clear and reorganize canals, bridges and culverts.
The governor thanked the governors of other cities who called to offer readiness and support to Erbil. He also praised the role of the volunteer teams, charities and residents who coordinated and helped to rescue people during the flood, the statement said.
The governor said earlier on Sunday that nearly 80 millimeters of rain fell against a forecast of about 30 millimeters, and that standing water remained only in New Erbil, the Brayati neighborhood and near Zheen hospital.
Schools and universities in the governorate are closed on Sunday, and employees affected by the flood will be given leave. The statement does not give the number of damaged homes, cars, or businesses, and no figure has been published.
After similar floods in December 2021, which killed 12 people, the Kurdistan Regional Government formed an investigation committee and began a compensation process, and the governor said then that negligence would not be forgiven.