Severe floods spark emergency response across Iraq and Kurdistan
Shafaq News – Al-Sulaymaniyah / Kirkuk / Babil
The Iraqi Red Crescent Society delivered food, relief items, and medical support to families affected by severe floods in Al-Sulaymaniyah and Kirkuk on Thursday, launching an emergency response to days of heavy rainfall across northern Iraq.
According to a statement from the agency, relief teams assisted residents in Chamchamal, Yarmja, and Zindana by clearing water from homes and deploying a mobile clinic in Kirkuk. Civil defense units also reached isolated families.
In Kirkuk, Lailan subdistrict director Mohammed Wiss al-Musawi said civil defense teams rescued seven families in Yarmja and Zindana after floodwaters encircled their homes. Emergency crews continued working to reopen key routes and stabilize vulnerable areas. A 48-meter section of the old Tuz Khurmatu bridge collapsed, restricting movement to small vehicles, while pressure increased on the weakened Daqouq Bridge.
Separately, the governor in Babil dismissed the directors of the sewage and municipal departments after heavy rainfall inundated several neighborhoods, following public complaints over service failures. Government offices were closed on Wednesday, and parts of central Hilla remain underwater as drainage efforts continue. Despite foggy visibility and cold weather, villagers continued their daily routines.
Powerful storm systems swept across Iraq recently—from Nineveh to the Kurdistan Region and into the central and southern provinces—triggering floods, road closures, casualties, and temporary shutdowns of water facilities.
