Flood victims in Kojoor remain in crisis after one month; officials only make promises

People affected by two floods in the mountainous Kojoor area in northern Iran continue to live in critical conditions a month later, facing officials’ promises instead of support and assistance.

According to IRNA, the occurrence of two floods on the 10th of Mordad and 1st of Shahrivar caused approximately 31 billion tomans in damage to farmers and livestock herders in Mazandaran province.

The village of “Angas” and the city of Kojoor are among the affected areas. According to this report, the destruction of houses, blockage of village roads, destruction of water supply networks, and loss of “hundreds of livestock” are among the damages inflicted on these areas. Three houses were completely destroyed, 23 houses suffered 30 to 40 percent damage, and household items, including carpets and electrical appliances, were damaged, and hundreds of livestock were swept away by water.

Although provincial officials held meetings to “repair the damage” and claim they gave “one truck” of essential living supplies to the victims, some flood survivors told IRNA they “have not received any aid” so far. According to one herder, officials have only given him “10 tons of bran” and charged him for it.

Despite the flood-prone nature of the mountainous Kojoor region and the annual recurrence of floods, according to the Kojoor district official, authorities had previously given permission to one herder, who suffered the most damage, to construct a livestock farm on the riverbank at the confluence of two rivers.

Mismanagement of natural resources and unnecessary and unplanned dam construction are cited as major factors in the emergence of various environmental crises, including devastating floods and unprecedented droughts in Iran.

Source: Voice of America