Villagers rally to fix collapsed bridge in Kurdistan Region

DUKAN – After recent rainfall devastated many parts of the Kurdistan Region earlier this onth, the collapse of the Teremar bridge in the Piramagroon district cut off several villages. Local volunteers, disillusioned by government inaction, have taken the initiative to repair the bridge themselves.

The Teremar bridge, a vital link for the villages of Old Teremar, Upper Teremar, Kani Chnar, and Qazan, gave way on Feb. 15, 2024, due to floodwaters, leaving these communities isolated for over a week.

Peshawa Khesraw, a villager from Kani Chnar, told with 964media, “We began the bridge’s restoration yesterday, with the help of locals, including many youths, using excavators and wheelbarrows.”

Efforts to engage the Piramagroon district authorities for bridge repair had been futile, according to Khesraw. While a committee did assess the damage, no further action was taken.

Barzan Raouf, mayor of Piramagroon, stated that the responsibility for flood-damaged bridge repairs lies with the Sulaimani Road and Bridge Authority. Although a committee from the authority evaluated the damage, the municipality’s lack of resources has hampered any repair efforts.

Constructed just seven months ago by a philanthropist, the bridge is crucial for connecting the affected villages to the Piramagroon and Bazian districts.

The recent collapse is part of a larger issue, with eight bridges in the region now unusable, though the main bridge at Rania’s entrance remains operational.