ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Locals from various towns in Halabja governorate are facing many shortages of food and basic goods, as well as a complete power outage as the Kurdistan Region experiences significant snowfall.
Locals in Halabja have resort to travelling to surrounding towns, with many going to Byara village to buy bread and necessities as snowfall makes life difficult for them.
"I have come from my town to Byara. The roads are blocked [due to snowfall] and in bad shape. We came to Byara for basic goods and food. We stayed the night here and we will return soon," a local told Rudaw on Wednesday.
"Stores don't have food, there is nothing left except the bread that we make at home. For everything else, we have to come here [to Byara]," he added, describing the situation from his town.
He called on the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to clear the roads and fix the electricity, which has been cut for two days.
Another local, who works at a bakery, described the influx of people going to Byara scrambling to buy bread.
"Many people from surrounding settlements are coming here and rushing to buy bread. Some people come and buy 80 pieces [of bread], it has been two to three days and we sell 1000 pieces every day," he said.
Several mountainous areas of the Kurdistan Region are facing heavy snowfall, leading to the blockage of a number of roads. In some regions, 60 cm of snow fell over 24 hours.
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