10 Iraq provinces could announce state of emergency due to floods

As many as ten Iraqi provinces in central and southern Iraq could announce a state of emergency after more than three days of torrential rains and unprecedented floods, a government official said.

Mahdi Rashid, the director of the Public Authority for Dams and Reservoirs at the Ministry of Water Resources, said the rising water levels could force the ministry to announce a state of emergency in ten Iraqi cities.

The most affected provinces are the provinces of Wasit and Diyala near the Iranian borders where flood water coming from Iran reached about 11 million cubic metres per hour, Iraqi officials said.

Floods coming from Iran have swamped many areas and villages in the province of Basra.

READ: Floods kill at least 18 in southern Iran, after deluge in north