10,000 New Graves Prepared in Tehran for Coronavirus Victims

The Deputy of Urban Services at Tehran Municipality announced that a new section has been prepared at Behesht Zahra cemetery for those who died from coronavirus, and so far 10,000 new graves have been dug in this section.

According to IRNA news agency, Mojtaba Yazdani said on Sunday, April 14, during a Tehran City Council session that several new morgues and two 12-meter refrigerated containers have been added to Behesht Zahra’s facilities.

He did not announce how many coronavirus victims have been buried in Tehran so far. Islamic Republic officials have not disclosed the number of coronavirus deaths in Tehran and other Iranian cities separately.

The preparation of 10,000 graves for potential coronavirus victims at Tehran’s Behesht Zahra cemetery comes at a time when, according to statistics announced by the Ministry of Health, 4,474 people have died across Iran.

However, statistics collected by Radio Farda from scattered statements by local officials and Health Ministry sources indicate that approximately 10,000 people have died in 31 Iranian provinces so far.

Meanwhile, several parliament members are accusing the government of concealing the actual number of coronavirus deaths and infected individuals.

On the other hand, Iranian Health Ministry officials have repeatedly expressed concern about increased urban traffic in recent days.

Also, a report from the ministry states that if social distancing decreases, the number of deaths could increase to 30,000 by mid-May.

On Sunday, Hassan Khalilabadi, a Tehran City Council member, also said that some coronavirus victims have been buried in cemeteries in Shahriar, including Shah Abdolazim and Ibn Babuyeh, which are located in residential areas.

Khalilabadi said it would be better for coronavirus victims’ bodies to be buried in Behesht Zahra.

He also announced that the Kahrizak area is one of the red zones for coronavirus outbreak in Tehran, and residents of this area are more affected than Behesht Zahra staff and the Rey Waste Disposal Center employees.

In some Iranian cities, special sections have been created for burying coronavirus victims, while in some cities they are buried along with other deceased individuals.

Meanwhile, the Environmental Health Manager of Isfahan Health Center said that coronavirus victims are not buried in separate sections, but all health protocols for their shrouding and burial are observed.

Mehdi Mirjahanian announced that the bodies of these individuals are buried at a depth of two meters and lime is not used on the grave floor.

However, in some Iranian cities, lime is poured on the floor of coronavirus victims’ graves.

The Washington Post on March 12 reported, by publishing images, the digging of “large and unusual” trenches at Behesht Ma’soumeh cemetery in Qom for burying coronavirus victims, noting that the extent of these mass graves is so large that it is visible from space.

Source: Radio Farda