KRG Prime Minister Reviews Erbil Flood Aftermath and Compensation Arrangements
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani visits Erbil Governorate to follow up on compensation for residents affected by the deadly Nov. 7 flash floods.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani arrived at the Erbil Governorate building on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, to follow up on the compensation process for residents affected by the devastating flash floods that struck the provincial capital over the weekend.
During his visit to the Erbil Governorate building, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani held a meeting with Erbil Governor Omed Xoshnaw and the governorate's directors general.
The meeting focuses on the floods that struck Erbil in recent days, particularly the situation in the affected areas, the extent of human and material losses, and the measures undertaken by the government and relevant authorities to provide assistance and support to those affected.
Sasan Othman Awni Habib, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Minister of Municipalities and Tourism and Kurdistan Region Interior Minister Reber Ahmed were also at the meeting.
The visit places assistance for affected families at the center of the government's response after heavy rainfall inundated neighborhoods, damaged property and claimed two lives on Saturday evening.
The flooding began on Nov. 7, when intense rainfall caused water to accumulate rapidly in streets and residential areas across Erbil.
Emergency and civil defense teams mobilized to rescue people trapped by rising water and respond to damage in affected neighborhoods.
Erbil Governor Omed Xoshnaw initially reported the death of a 25-year-old volunteer who had brought his own loader to help residents in the Seberdan neighborhood.
The young man was swept away by the powerful current while participating in rescue operations.
The governor also reported that a five-year-old child had been swept away while traveling in a vehicle with his father. Although the father managed to escape, the child was initially reported missing. Rescue teams subsequently recovered his body, bringing the death toll to two.
The flooding also damaged homes, roads and businesses, leaving authorities to address the immediate emergency while assessing residents' losses.
Government Response and Compensation
Prime Minister Barzani had been following developments since the flooding began.
On Saturday evening, he held a telephone conversation with Governor Xoshnaw to receive an update and instructed authorities to take all necessary measures to assist affected residents and protect lives and property.
The prime minister also expressed appreciation for emergency responders and service personnel involved in helping families and addressing the consequences of the rainfall.
In the days following the floods, authorities continued clearing affected areas and assessing property damage alongside efforts to provide assistance to affected households.
Tuesday's visit to the governorate brings renewed attention to the next stage of the response: determining the extent of residents' losses and following through on compensation arrangements.
The announcement confirmed the prime minister's arrival to review the process but provided no further details about decisions reached during the visit or a timetable for distributing compensation.