Heavy snowfall blankets Haji Omaran amid reduction in cross border trade

HAJI OMARAN — The border town of Haji Omaran, Erbil, has been covered with snow, after receiving over a meter of snowfall last week. Snowfall resumed again on Tuesday, though local authorities reported that traffic and trade remain normal.

A 964media correspondent in the area reported poor visibility due to continued snowfall and noted that the landscape had turned completely white. Despite the harsh conditions, residents continue to travel for work.

Two residents from Iranian Kurdistan told 964media they had come for work. “The weather is extremely cold, but we have no choice,” one said. It’s hard, but they have to keep working to make a living, he explained.

Teams and locals in Haji Omaran are regularly clearing the roads and removing snow buildup.

According to regional meteorological data, snowfall is expected to increase in mountainous areas of the Kurdistan Region through the evening.

Tourist travel resumed Sunday at the Kele border crossing between the Kurdistan Region and Iran, though commercial traffic remains suspended, according to local officials. The border crossing has been closed for 10 days due to heavy snowfall, halting both tourist and commercial movement.

Meanwhile, a wave of snowfall that began Friday has affected several areas across the Kurdistan Region leading to road closures and difficult travel conditions in mountainous areas.