Statement from the Erbil governorate:
Unfortunately, heavy rainfall has damaged several neighborhoods and areas of Erbil, with large amounts of water entering homes.
All government teams are on standby and serving residents.
Although the rain has now stopped, and following coordination with the relevant authorities, we have decided the following to ensure residents’ safety and allow the teams to carry out their work:
1/ Tomorrow, all educational institutions—from kindergartens through universities, both public and private—will observe an official holiday.
2/ All department heads are authorized not to mark as absent any employee whose home has been flooded tonight or who is unable to report for duty in the morning because of transportation difficulties. Their absence will be counted as leave.
3/ All employees and staff of service and emergency-response agencies must remain on duty.
