Peregraf- Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani has directed federal authorities to mobilize urgent assistance for the Kurdistan Region following severe floods that caused casualties and widespread damage across several governorates.
In a statement, the Prime Minister’s Media Office said Al-Sudani has ordered the National Center for Crisis and Disaster Management at the Ministry of Interior, along with all relevant specialized bodies, to immediately provide support and relief. He also instructed the Ministry of Finance to allocate an emergency fund to ensure the necessary supplies reach affected communities as quickly as possible.
The federal intervention comes after the Kurdistan Region’s Joint Crisis Coordination Center (JCC) issued a detailed preliminary report outlining the scale of destruction caused by the heavy rainfall of December 8–9. According to the JCC, two people lost their lives, one person remains missing, and another is in unstable condition after being rescued with severe shortness of breath. The floods also swept away dozens of cars and caused major damage to homes, markets, and infrastructure.
JCC’s Preliminary Assessment
The JCC reported that the heaviest impact was recorded in Sulaymaniyah, Chamchamal, Taqiyya, Shorish, parts of Garmian, and areas of Kirkuk—where a seven-year-old child drowned as water levels surged.
• Erbil: 25.6 mm of rainfall; six houses flooded in Qaritagh village.
• Sulaymaniyah: Homes, a school, shops, and warehouses flooded; major road closures; widespread power and internet disruptions.
• Kirkuk: Bridge swept away in Bayanlu; Kirkuk–Lailan road closed; child drowned.
• Garmian: Heavy flooding in Rizgari sub-district; markets and homes damaged; Kalar–Rizgari road cut off.
• Soran: Heavy snowfall in border areas causing road blockages, a truck collision, and a house collapse due to a landslide.
• Zakho: Khabour River level rose sharply from 95 cm to 205 cm.
• Raperin: 84 mm of rain; river levels rose, flooding homes; heavy snow caused traffic difficulties in border areas.
Other governorates, including Duhok and Halabja, reported rainfall with limited damage.
The JCC stated that assessments remain ongoing and full damage documentation will continue as teams gain access to affected locations.