Billions of Tomans in Damage from Storm in Southeastern Provinces; Concerns Over Worsening Living Conditions
According to reports by Iranian media, following the occurrence of ‘Cyclone Shaheen’ in Sistan and Baluchestan and Hormozgan provinces in recent days, at least 40 billion tomans in damage has been inflicted on power poles and lines in Chabahar and Konarak.
Aliresa Shahraki, director general of the crisis management office of Sistan and Baluchestan province, announcing this news to ISNA news agency, estimated the damage caused by the storm and torrential rainfall in Chabahar and Konarak at approximately 30 to 40 billion tomans and added that the storm in these areas has significantly decreased compared to Saturday, October 1st.
He further stated, referring to Cyclone Shaheen’s shift toward the Sultanate of Oman and the stabilization of conditions compared to Saturday, that permission for maritime activities will not be granted until conditions become completely favorable.
Mohammad Radmehr, governor of Jask, also informed the IRNA news agency of the potential damage from this storm and said that some residents of Keruch village in this county have been relocated to a safe location nearby the village, boats and vessels have been called to shore for maritime safety, and fishing boats have been moved inland.
Nevertheless, the Baluch activists campaign on Saturday, October 1st, by publishing a video on Twitter reported the sinking of two vessels at Pasabander Pier in Chabahar county, writing that fishermen “stated that the relevant departments such as fisheries only resorted to issuing warnings.”
Mehrdad Hasanzadeh, director general of crisis management of Hormozgan province, also announced that safe locations have been designated for emergency situations for the relocation of people at risk, should the need arise.
The director of the Department of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Nikshahr county also published a video of the storm on Twitter writing: “Cyclone Shaheen, which had formed over the past few days, has now reached its peak.”
Previously, Voice of America had reported that while Iran’s Crisis Management Organization had warned about the occurrence of storms and torrential rainfall in Sistan and Baluchestan and Hormozgan provinces, on Saturday, October 1st and following the storm in Sistan and Baluchestan, 52 people visited medical centers due to “eye, respiratory, and heart problems” and three people were hospitalized.
Sistan and Baluchestan is among the regions of Iran that in some months of the year faces severe climate fluctuations. However, the consequences of storms occurring in this province, due to what experts have assessed as “mismanagement” and “administrative incompetence,” have disrupted the lives of people in this region more than before and given that many daily activities have been halted, concerns about further deterioration of their living conditions have increased.
To the extent that the drying up of the internationally recognized Hamun wetland and the intensification of dust phenomenon has deprived people in the northern parts of Sistan and Baluchestan province of access to clean air. Nirah Pourmalai, director general of the environment in Sistan and Baluchestan, said in 2018 that people in these areas had only 49 days of clean air in the first three months of that year.
Iranian authorities usually disregard warnings from environmental activists and in some cases accuse these activists of anti-security activities. Morad Tahbaz is a prominent Iranian-born environmental activist who holds U.S. and British citizenship. He was arrested in December 2017 along with several other environmental activists and was sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of what was termed “espionage.”
Source: Voice of America
