Sudani orders federal relief, emergency funds after deadly flooding in Kurdistan Region

BAGHDAD – Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Wednesday directed federal agencies to provide support and relief to residents of the Kurdistan Region affected by severe flooding, instructing the Finance Ministry to allocate emergency funds to meet urgent needs.

In a statement, Sudani ordered the National Center for Crisis and Disaster Management at the Interior Ministry, along with other relevant bodies, to deliver assistance and support. He also directed the Finance Ministry to allocate “an emergency amount to provide all relief requirements needed by our people in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, due to the harsh weather conditions that caused a strong wave of flooding.”

The order follows extensive flooding on Tuesday in Sulaymaniyah governorate, where Chamchamal district authorities reported two deaths and 12 injuries, and said damage had affected more than 500 houses. A 70-year-old man and a child were among the victims earlier confirmed by local officials. In Kirkuk governorate, a nine-year-old girl died after being swept away by floodwaters in Laylan’s Farqani village.

Storm conditions have continued across the Kurdistan Region. The director of meteorology and seismology in Sulaymaniyah said 122.7 millimeters of rain fell in the city in the past 24 hours, bringing the year’s total to 258.7 millimeters.

Local authorities in Sulaymaniyah and Halabja declared a suspension of work at all government institutions on Wednesday as crews worked to clear roads and respond to emergencies caused by the ongoing storm system.