Duhok upgrades Yazidi camps ahead of winter storms
Shafaq News- Duhok
Duhok's Directorate of Migration, Displacement and Crisis Response will replace old and damaged tents in camps housing displaced Yazidis with new ones ahead of winter, Director Pir Dayan Jaafar told Shafaq News on Sunday.
Jaafar said the move is part of preparations for the cold season, when rainfall and falling temperatures pose additional risks to camp residents. He added that authorities would continue providing services to displaced families until conditions allow them to return to their homes in Sinjar district.
Regarding kerosene supplies, Jaafar noted that the Duhok Provincial Council had submitted an official request to the Ministry of Migration and Displacement and was awaiting delivery of the allocated fuel, particularly for families living in displacement camps. Distribution will begin once the supplies arrive.
"About 110,000 displaced people live in 15 camps across Duhok province, while another 160,000 reside outside the camps in different parts of the Kurdistan Region," he said.
Read more: Kurdistan Region rescues nearly 4K Yazidis since ISIS assault
The preparations come as heavy rainfall sweeps across cities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), triggering flash floods and inundating neighborhoods and low-lying areas.
Erbil's Civil Defense Directorate has urged residents to leave their homes only when necessary, warning that accumulated rainwater has caused severe traffic congestion and hampered emergency response efforts.
Duhok has also taken precautionary measures against potential flash floods and inundation. The municipality said on Sunday that its field teams were on standby around the clock to respond to weather-related emergencies, with no casualties or property damage reported so far.
Speaking to Shafaq News, Municipality spokesperson Sherwan Hassan urged residents to immediately report water accumulation, overflows, or problems with rainwater drainage networks, attributing some unanswered calls to field teams being occupied with service operations and monitoring the drainage system.
Hassan added that technical teams had identified several damaged drainage openings, while other crews were clearing them and removing obstructions to keep rainwater flowing and prevent blockages and flooding.
On Saturday, Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw confirmed that 28-year-old Mohammed Rasoul and five-year-old Mustafa Sarkout had died after floods struck the Seberdan area east of the province, damaging hundreds of homes, cars, and commercial shops. Heavy rainfall also caused rockfalls along the Kirkuk-Erbil highway, prompting authorities to close the road on Sunday until it was deemed safe for traffic.
Read more: President Barzani orders aid for Erbil flood victims
