ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Homes and livelihoods of locals at a village north of western Iran’s Kurdistan Province are threatened by rising water levels at a nearby dam, they told Rudaw, noting that while authorities have provided them with plots of land on higher, more secure grounds, these areas lack basic services, further complicating the settlement process.
Rising water levels in the Cheragh Veys Dam on the Saqqez River in the northern part of the Kurdish-majority province have placed homes in the nearby village of Miradeh at risk of flooding.
The growing danger has prompted the Saqqez Water Resources Directorate to order the immediate evacuation of residents. However, many villagers say they are unable to afford to relocate.
“We have serious disagreements with the authorities, who have failed to address our concerns,” said Mohammed Watankhah, a member of the Miradeh Local Council. “Although land was allocated to compensate for our homes, no basic services have been provided - no water, electricity, or gas,” he said.
“The government is also ignoring our repeated appeals for help… as many of us simply cannot afford to move.”
The authorities had previously allocated plots of land on higher, safer ground for Miradeh residents to build homes. However, only a few families have done so, while many others have refrained due to the lack of basic services and infrastructure.
“The electricity lines run right past our area, yet the authorities refuse to connect us to the grid,” said Miradeh resident Ata Dashti, adding, “We have no gas, no roads, and no water supply.”
“Despite living in poverty and under difficult conditions, we have managed to build our homes,” Dashti added.
Hamdi Amini, another Miradeh resident, appealed to the authorities to “take our situation into account.”
“You are asking us to evacuate our homes in the lower-lying areas and move to higher ground, yet no basic services have been provided in the new settlement,” he lamented.
The Cheragh Veys Dam was completed in 2014 to supply drinking water to northern cities in Kurdistan province, including Baneh and Saqqez, as well as around 60 nearby villages, including Miradeh. However, amid rising water levels, residents of Miradeh fear that floods could soon threaten their farms and homes.
