Abadi orders funds for earthquake victims, reconstruction
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Baghdad will provide funds for those affected by this month’s earthquake, the prime minister’s office announced on Sunday.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has directed that funds be disbursed “to help the affected and rehabilitation of the infrastructure affected by the earthquake in the provinces of Sulaimani and Diyala,” a statement from his office read.
The order was based on a report from a government committee field visit to assess damage from the earthquake.
The amount of funds being made available was not disclosed.
Abadi’s government has already allocated 3 billion dinars ($2.5 million) for the Ministry of Water Resources to assess the condition of the Darbandikhan dam, which was damaged in the 7.3 magnitude tremor.
Ten people were killed and over 500 injured in the Kurdistan Region where the November 12 quake affected some 640,000 people, according to an initial report from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
The KRG’s Joint Crisis Coordination Center (JCC) reported that hundreds of homes in Darbandikhan, Halabja, and Garmian were damaged. The water and electricity networks in Darbandikhan were damaged and require “extensive repair” and Halabja’s water plant was operating at half capacity after being damaged.
Two hospitals in Darbandikhan and a number of schools across the area were unusable because of damage and the Darbandikhan tunnel was closed to traffic.
Many people in villages lost livestock because of landslides.
Visiting the area two days after the earthquake, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister said his government had allocated a special budget to compensate victims.
The European Union has also reportedly said it would assist paying for repairs to Darbandikhan dam.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has directed that funds be disbursed “to help the affected and rehabilitation of the infrastructure affected by the earthquake in the provinces of Sulaimani and Diyala,” a statement from his office read.
The order was based on a report from a government committee field visit to assess damage from the earthquake.
The amount of funds being made available was not disclosed.
Abadi’s government has already allocated 3 billion dinars ($2.5 million) for the Ministry of Water Resources to assess the condition of the Darbandikhan dam, which was damaged in the 7.3 magnitude tremor.
Ten people were killed and over 500 injured in the Kurdistan Region where the November 12 quake affected some 640,000 people, according to an initial report from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
The KRG’s Joint Crisis Coordination Center (JCC) reported that hundreds of homes in Darbandikhan, Halabja, and Garmian were damaged. The water and electricity networks in Darbandikhan were damaged and require “extensive repair” and Halabja’s water plant was operating at half capacity after being damaged.
Two hospitals in Darbandikhan and a number of schools across the area were unusable because of damage and the Darbandikhan tunnel was closed to traffic.
Many people in villages lost livestock because of landslides.
Visiting the area two days after the earthquake, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister said his government had allocated a special budget to compensate victims.
The European Union has also reportedly said it would assist paying for repairs to Darbandikhan dam.