Shafaq News/ The Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources in Kurdistan Region, Begard Talabani, announced on Monday that more than two billion dinars had been allocated to maintain Darbandikhan dam.

 Talabani said in a statement received by Shafaq News agency, "The Presidency of the Council of Ministers in Kurdistan Region decided to allocate two billion and 282 million dinars for the maintenance and repair of damages at Darbandikhan Dam."

 The Agriculture Committee of the Kurdistan Regional Parliament had warned in November 2017 of the danger that earthquakes pose to Darbandikhan Dam, after an earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale struck the Iranian regions bordering Iraq and led to aftershocks in Kurdistan Region and various regions of Iraq.

 The committee said that the earthquake caused cracks in the upper part of Darbandikhan Dam in Al-Sulaymaniyah Governorate, indicating that the dam must be emptied for fear of its collapse if other earthquakes occur.

 Darbandikhan Dam, which works with hydroelectric power, located near the town of Darbandikhan in Al-Sulaymaniyah Governorate, was built in 1956 and officially began operating in 1961.