Floods and Waterlogging in Over 40 Iranian Cities and Towns; Two Deaths Reported from Natural Disasters

River overflows and floods caused by heavy rainfall over the past 48 hours in 12 provinces of Iran, affecting “39 counties, three cities, 26 villages and 14 nomadic areas,” resulted in two deaths.

According to the Islamic Republic News Agency on Sunday, Ordibehesht 11, Mahdi Valipour, head of the search and rescue organization of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, announced that in the past two days, the northwestern and western provinces of Iran as well as Semnan and Yazd provinces were affected by “severe rainfall” and “river overflow and floods.”

According to Valipour, one of the deaths was caused by “lightning” and the other by the “Shemiranat Tehran” flood, and “emergency accommodation was provided for 133 people and rescue operations and transfer to safe areas were carried out for 35 people.”

According to the head of the search and rescue organization of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, rescue forces remain on standby.

Also, according to ISNA news agency, the initial assessment by the East Azerbaijan province governorate of the damage caused by flooding is “60 billion tomans.”

Also, according to Mohammad Allah-Bakhsh, acting director of the Ardabil province fisheries department, flooding in Meshkinshahr caused mud and silt to enter fish farming fields, and as a result “30 tons of aquatic life” perished.

In West Azerbaijan province as well, only in Urmia did hail and flooding damage “1,247 hectares” of agricultural lands and orchards, and according to Parviz Amjadi, acting head of the Urmia agricultural jihad, apple, grape and stone fruit orchards in Chunguralo Bridge area suffered “70 to 90 percent damage and in Zinalou area 20 to 70 percent damage.”

On the other hand, Mehr news agency reported that most streets and alleys of Yazd were affected by flooding and water, with water flowing in front of people’s homes like a river.

Visual reports published by Iranian news agencies indicate that flooding also occurred on streets in Javanrood in Kermanshah province.

In recent years, with the expansion of the water scarcity crisis, the occurrence of floods and waterlogging as well as landslides and land subsidence in Iran has intensified.