ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iraq’s water resources ministry said that heavy rainfall and floods on Tuesday, which left three dead, are a “significant opportunity” to replenish heavily depleted reserves after many months of water scarcity. 

In a statement, the ministry said that rainfall “exceeded 120 millimeters in some areas, which led to flooding,” especially in the Kurdistan Region. 

“Such rains represent a significant opportunity to restore balance to water resources and secure irrigation needs for agricultural areas in all provinces, especially the center and south,” the ministry stated. 

It asserted that work is underway to direct the waters toward dams and reservoirs across the country to “boost water reserves that have declined during previous drought seasons and low water revenues.” 

Powerful flash floods struck the Kurdistan Region on Tuesday, most heavily affecting Sulaimani’s Chamchamal district and causing a total blackout as authorities scrambled to assist the citizens. At least two people were killed and around 12 others injured. 

Iraq is facing one of the worst droughts since its establishment, according to officials. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported in 2024 that climate change has displaced more than 170,000 people in 12 provinces, due to drought, falling water levels, and expanding desertification.

In the statement, the ministry further explained that it is utilizing the floods to “reflood marshlands that have suffered from significantly low water levels, improve the environment of the Shatt al-Arab waterway, and push back the saltwater intrusion to alleviate its impact on Basra province.” 

In August, the Iraqi agricultural ministry warned that the country’s water reserves have dropped to dangerous levels, saying that rationing had become essential to protect water security.

The United Nations has classified Iraq as one of the five countries most vulnerable to climate change worldwide, warning that the crisis threatens livelihoods and food security for hundreds of thousands of families.