The fundraising drive will kick off with an event in Darbandikhan attended by governmental officials and businessmen on Saturday from 9 to 11 p.m. The campaign is named ‘RudawiDarbandikhan’ which means "the Darbandikhan incident."
The aim is to raise enough funds and collect aid for the people affected by the powerful quake — many of whom remain displaced — to return and rebuild.
The official hashtag for the campaign is #RudawiDarbandikhan
Individuals wanting to contribute funds can visit any Rudaw office, with its headquarters in Erbil.
The 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck near Halabja, Kurdistan Region, near the Iran-Iraq border on the evening of November 12 and could be felt throughout the Middle East.
Ten people were killed and more than 500 injured in the Kurdistan Region’s areas of Darbandikhan, Halabja, Kalar, and Khanaqin. In the Kurdistan Region, the earthquake affected some 640,000 people, according to the KRG.
Having already felt subsequent and frequent aftershocks, many people in Darbandikhan are braving winter in makeshift tent camps.
As the weather gets colder, a local, Gelas Ali, said they are desperately in need of heating oil and tents.
The town is in need of about 12,000 tents, but only 410 have been distributed.
The affected are pleading for help from the KRG, humanitarian organizations, and private donations.
The tremor has also left psychological influences on the people, especially those with disabilities as they say it was very hard for them to escape when the quake hit.
“Our psychological situation is very bad.” Paiman Anwar, who uses a wheelchair said. “I still cannot go inside my home and sleep.”
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has directed for funds be disbursed “to help the affected and rehabilitation of the infrastructure affected by the earthquake in the provinces of Sulaimani and Diyala.”
Darbandikhan was the worst-hit area in the Kurdistan Region. The town is about 28 kilometers west of Halabja in Sulaimani Province.
Ten people were killed and more than 500 injured in the Kurdistan Region’s areas of Darbandikhan, Halabja, Kalar, and Khanaqin. In the Kurdistan Region, the earthquake affected some 640,000 people, according to the KRG.
Having already felt subsequent and frequent aftershocks, many people in Darbandikhan are braving winter in makeshift tent camps.
As the weather gets colder, a local, Gelas Ali, said they are desperately in need of heating oil and tents.
The town is in need of about 12,000 tents, but only 410 have been distributed.
The affected are pleading for help from the KRG, humanitarian organizations, and private donations.
The tremor has also left psychological influences on the people, especially those with disabilities as they say it was very hard for them to escape when the quake hit.
“Our psychological situation is very bad.” Paiman Anwar, who uses a wheelchair said. “I still cannot go inside my home and sleep.”
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has directed for funds be disbursed “to help the affected and rehabilitation of the infrastructure affected by the earthquake in the provinces of Sulaimani and Diyala.”
