"Due to bad weather and to protect public safety... we decided to declare Wednesday... public holiday across the government institutions in Erbil province," announced Omed Khoshnaw, Erbil governor.
Khoshnaw added that the civil defense teams in Erbil are on high alert, assuring people that they will protect their lives and properties.
The floods come as Kurds prepare to celebrate Newroz, the Kurdish New Year, on March 20 and 21.
Heavy floods damaged a large number of shops in Erbil's popular Langa Bazaar and up to 20 households in the Gilkand neighborhood on Tuesday afternoon.
Floodwater brought traffic in Erbil’s 60 and 120 ring roads to a standstill for a few hours
Khoshnaw claimed that the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) measures have minimized the impact of heavy rains in Erbil.
The Kurdistan Region's metrology department has warned that the rainfall wave will "sporadically" continue until March 26.
Last month, a similar rainfall caused flooding in Erbil submerged around 40 vehicles as well as damaged several houses.
Floods are a common natural calamity in Erbil, at times resulting in death and destruction. In late 2021 and early 2022, Erbil bore the brunt of heavy rainstorms that hit the Region, causing flooding affecting at least 826 families in the Kurdish capital. Twelve people were killed, including a ten-month-old baby. The Ministry of Municipality and Tourism at the time assessed that the damages amounted to more than 21 billion dinars (over $14 million).
The Kurdistan Region has witnessed a wave of torrential rain since Monday afternoon.
Flash floods killed two people in Duhok after their vehicles submerged and a third due to a short circuit, according to Bewar Abdulaziz, spokesperson for Duhok’s civil defense.
High water levels and flash floods during the rainy season in fall and winter are common and at times deadly occurrences in the Region.
