Children stand near flooded streets in Baghdad as rain continues across the capital and several governorates.
Baghdad says drainage network ready as rainy season begins
BAGHDAD — Baghdad Municipality said Saturday it has completed technical and service preparations for the rainy season, including maintenance of major drainage lines, and that the city’s water-discharge capacity remains within planned limits as emergency measures take effect.
Municipality spokesman Uday al-Jundeel told the state news agency that “the service teams in the municipality have fully completed their preparations for the rainy season,” noting that the readiness plan began in August 2025 “under direct guidance and follow-up from the Mayor of Baghdad for all municipal directorates and the Baghdad Sewerage Directorate.”
He said preparations included “comprehensive maintenance for trunk lines and main stations, treating subsidence, rehabilitating secondary stations, and intensifying cleaning campaigns using modern techniques, including the bucket machine for removing heavy sediment.” He added that Deputy Mayor Razaq al-Yaqubi conducted daily field visits “to supervise work stages and ensure accuracy.”
Al-Jundeel said Baghdad has entered “a state of maximum readiness,” with all wastewater stations and disposal sites operating at full capacity, fuel secured for generators and emergency plans activated. “We are ready for any incident,” he said.
On network capacity, he said the system is designed to discharge “24.5 millimeters of rainfall within 12 hours,” which he described as being within the municipality’s technical control. Rainfall above that threshold, he added, “may require additional time to drain until the network absorbs the inflow.”
He said a joint operations room that includes representatives from the electricity and water resources ministries, civil defense and other agencies is active and will begin its duties once rain starts.
Al-Jundeel said emergency lines and stations “are ready to operate when needed to reduce pressure on the main network,” and that field teams and machinery are fully mobilized “to ensure the smooth delivery of services and traffic movement in the capital.”
According to the national weather authority, Iraq is expected to see several days of rain beginning Sunday, with thunderstorms forecast in northern and central regions and steady rain in the south. Rainfall is projected to range from light to moderate through Dec. 10, with visibility at times dropping to between 2 and 5 kilometers. Wind speeds are expected to range from 10 to 30 km/h, rising to 40 km/h in some areas by Wednesday as rainfall intensifies.