ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iraq’s southern Diwaniyah province is set to resolve its recurring problem of excess rainwater causing mass flooding by next winter, its governor said on Wednesday, after heavy floods wreaked havoc on the city earlier in December.

Governor Abbas al-Zamili said that the flooding crisis will be resolved with the completion of work on 30 neighborhoods by next winter, labeling the prob lem as a “recurring crisis.” 

After facing heavy rainfall and flash floods for several days in recent weeks, Diwaniyah declared a state of emergency, Iraqi media reported in early December. 

The flash floods came amid high nationwide precipitation, with several cities across Iraq contending with more rainfall than their infrastructure could handle.

"Diwaniyah province faces a recurring crisis every winter due to rainfall, which leads to the collapse of infrastructure," the governor told Iraqi state media, adding that the problem will be solved "by next winter."

Zamili said that "the large Diwaniyah sewage project, which was implemented in 2010 by Al-Ufuq Company," was "the main reason" for the issue faced by the province. 

He lamented that despite 11 billion dollars allocated by Baghdad for the province’s cleaning services, the companies responsible for implementation “did not adhere to the terms of the contract,” leading to the imposition of 300 million dinars in fines and the termination of their contracts. 

In November, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani launched three integrated water and infrastructure projects in Diwaniyah at a cost of 117 billion dinars. The projects included water supply, sewage, transmission lines, and water treatment. 

The province often struggles with droughts and low water levels during warmer seasons, while its infrastructure exacerbates flooding during heavy rainfall in the winter.