ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Flooding from heavy rains has wreaked havoc across Iran, Iraq, and northern Syria.
In Iran, at least 19 people have died and 119 were injured in “unprecedented” floods in the country that has been under chronic drought.
Most of the deaths occurred in Shiraz when rushing water swept down a mountainside and into a traffic jam on the city’s northern side. The Iranian Red Crescent society said they saved 527 people and pulled 150 vehicles out of the flood waters.
AFP video
President Hassan Rouhani called on provincial authorities across the country to be on alert to manage the crisis. He also demanded preparation of estimates about the damage to be presented to the cabinet on Wednesday.
Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, commander of the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), visited flood-hit Golestan province. More than 56,000 people have been affected by the flooding in Golestan province alone, according to Tasnim News Agency.
Jafari told the news agency that the IRGC is helping in rescue and relief efforts, especially to drain the flood waters.
Before this winter’s heavy rains, Iran had been suffering under drought for decades.
"Climate change is forcing itself on our country," said Energy Minister Reza Ardekanian, who is in charge of dams and water supply, according to Tasnim.
"These unprecedented floods in our country are because of climate change worldwide," he said.
Flooding is happening across the Kurdistan Region.
Schools were closed in Dukan, Kalar, and Darbandikhan on Monday and the road from Kalar to Sulaimani was closed to all but emergency vehicles because of a damaged bridge.
“It’s not suitable for all vehicles. Only those who are very urgent are allowed. Otherwise the road is blocked. People have to take the Bamo road,” said Karzan Majeed, Garmiyan traffic police spokesperson.
He advised drivers to slow down.
Homes in Sulaimani and Erbil have been flooded and water caused $33,500 damage to a chicken farm in Duhok.
The Kurdistan Region sees flooding every year, but this year is more extreme, said Fazil Ibrahim, head of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)’s Earthquake and Meteorology Department.
This year's rainfall was "three times more compared to the past three years,” he told Rudaw TV on Monday night.
Looking at records for the past quarter century, 2019 stands out as a wet year, he explained.
Water levels in the Region’s dams are a lot higher and the KRG is warning nearby residents to be vigilant.
Continuing westward, heavy rains are also causing floods in the Derik area of eastern Rojava, Syria.
Main roads are closed and several bridges have collapsed, Rudaw’s Viviyen Fatah reported from Derik.
Villagers have lost homes and livestock.
“Four of my buildings collapsed. I had 31 chickens, only one survived. Ten of my sheep were flooded and died. We could not save the washing machine or the refrigerator. They were flooded,” said villager Sabah Abdullah.
And the rain is not done yet.
"This wave of rainfall is expected to continue until the beginning of the next month," according to the KRG’s Fazil Ibrahim.