Houses, cars damaged in Erbil floods
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Heavy rain and hail in Erbil blocked main roads in the city and in some surrounding neighborhoods, with cars getting stuck in some areas and people reporting flooding in their homes.
Following a summer of drought, Erbil had its first intense rain of the season on Saturday. Several houses suffered material damage, and stalling vehicles blocked flooded main roads.
Neighborhoods close to the city’s 150 Meter Road and on the road itself on the way to Pirmam, a town about 33 km northeast of Erbil, became main subjects of the flooding. Erbil police said the city had taken precautions, but flooding in some neighborhoods exceeded their expectations.
Sarkawt Karash, spokesperson for Erbil’s civil protection units, told Rudaw that they receive daily four-hour-advance updates from the weather forecasting department.
“What was unexpected for us was the flooding in Zerin neighborhood and Kore village,” he said, “which sadly has risen a lot on the 150-meter road and has completely covered the street.”
Cars stuck on Erbil’s 150 meter street as the street was flooded. Source: Rudaw
Karash has reported no casualties so far, but said that several neighborhoods have sustained material damage.
Several people were initially stuck on the 150-meter road, saying that they had received calls from their families saying that their houses were flooded. In some residential areas, civil protection units had to help people affected by the flood through helicopters.
Following a summer of drought, Erbil had its first intense rain of the season on Saturday. Several houses suffered material damage, and stalling vehicles blocked flooded main roads.
Neighborhoods close to the city’s 150 Meter Road and on the road itself on the way to Pirmam, a town about 33 km northeast of Erbil, became main subjects of the flooding. Erbil police said the city had taken precautions, but flooding in some neighborhoods exceeded their expectations.
Sarkawt Karash, spokesperson for Erbil’s civil protection units, told Rudaw that they receive daily four-hour-advance updates from the weather forecasting department.
“What was unexpected for us was the flooding in Zerin neighborhood and Kore village,” he said, “which sadly has risen a lot on the 150-meter road and has completely covered the street.”
Cars stuck on Erbil’s 150 meter street as the street was flooded. Source: Rudaw
Karash has reported no casualties so far, but said that several neighborhoods have sustained material damage.
Several people were initially stuck on the 150-meter road, saying that they had received calls from their families saying that their houses were flooded. In some residential areas, civil protection units had to help people affected by the flood through helicopters.