Heavy Rainfall and Flood Risk in Southern and Western Iran

Many cities in Iran are at risk of flooding. Floods have caused catastrophic damage in Shiraz and have left destruction in Lorestan. The Meteorological Organization says many other cities in western and southern Iran are also at risk of flooding.

Flooding in Shiraz has reached catastrophic proportions and, in addition to causing extensive damage, has claimed the lives of a number of citizens. At the same time, Lorestan has also been hit by floods. Heavy rainfall in Poldokht has caused floods to break out and caused damage to the city, and power cuts have occurred in 50 villages in the region.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Meteorological Organization has announced that in the next 48 hours, we will witness intensified rainfall in the southern and southwestern regions of the country, with rainfall amounts reaching approximately 400 millimeters in these areas. Tehran may also face heavy rainfall.

“Amin Hossein Naghshineh,” an expert at the Meteorological Organization, told IRNA: “We are currently witnessing heavy rainfall in Hamadan, Kermanshah, and Central Province, and in Shazand, Hamadan, rainfall is in the form of relatively heavy snow, and we expect this rainfall system, except for the eastern strip of Iran, to cover other parts of the country and cause rain and snow.”

The expert continued: “Rainfall is considerable in western, southwestern, southern, and central provinces, the slopes of the Zagros Mountains, the shores of the Caspian Sea, and the southern slopes of the Alborz Mountains, and today and tomorrow (the 5th and 6th of Farvardin) the occurrence of floods and river overflow is predicted in Khuzestan, Bushehr, Ilam, Kermanshah, eastern Kurdistan, Lorestan, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Fars, western Isfahan, south of Qom, northern Hormozgan, and the Persian Gulf islands.”

According to him, scattered showers, thunder, and lightning are phenomena of this rainfall system in the mentioned areas, and at higher elevations, snow precipitation will cause slippery mountain roads, and for mountain roads in Central, Lorestan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Zanjan, Hamadan, West Azerbaijan, East Azerbaijan, Ardabil, and the Alborz highlands in Qazvin, Alborz, Tehran, and Semnan provinces, we will have rainfall, and for Gilan and western Mazandaran, flooding of roads is predicted.

Governors and County Administrators Should Be on Full Alert

President Hassan Rouhani ordered all governors, county administrators, and officials to be on full alert with continuous presence at their posts until the end of Nowruz holidays and, while establishing communication and coordination with other relevant organizations, prepare the necessary measures to manage problems arising from possible floods.

According to IRNA, Hassan Rouhani also ordered ministries, the Planning and Budget Organization, and responsible organizations to form a task force and, while increasing coordination, double their efforts to completely solve the crisis and assess the damages, and present their operational suggestions within today and tomorrow (Monday and Tuesday) for presentation at the government session on Wednesday.

Possibility of Rivers in Tehran Province Flooding

The managing director of the Tehran Regional Water Company warned of heavy rainfall and flooding of rivers in Tehran Province in the coming days.

Hasan Razavi told the media that based on the announcement of Iran’s Meteorological Organization regarding the entry of rainfall systems from the south and west of the country and their expansion to provinces located in the northwest, west, southwest, and the Alborz highlands in Tehran Province, there will be a possibility of heavy rainfall and flood occurrence in rivers and streams across Tehran Province.

Warning tourists and travelers, he said: “Tourists who intend to spend time near rivers and streams around Tehran in these days should pay serious attention to the warnings announced by relevant organizations.”

Red Crescent Warning: Avoid Travel to Flood-Prone Areas

The Red Crescent Society called on Nowruz travelers in a statement to avoid traveling to flood-prone areas in the western and southern regions of the country until conditions return to normal.

The Red Crescent Society, referring to the Meteorological Organization’s announcement, asked residents of areas that will be in the range of expected heavy rainfall in the coming hours to stay at home as much as possible and, if warnings are issued by relevant organizations, to leave their residences toward temporary settlement places of the Red Crescent (in sports stadiums, schools, etc.) and cooperate with rescue organizations in this regard.

The Red Crescent also asked Nowruz travelers to avoid pitching tents in open spaces and, if necessary, to go to public covered places.

In the Red Crescent Society’s statement, it was also mentioned that due to the rough conditions of the Persian Gulf, it is necessary to avoid sea trips and camping on the shores as much as possible in the coming days.

Andimeshk County Governor: Residents Near Rivers Should Evacuate Their Homes

Peyman Jahangiri, the governor of Andimeshk County, says that considering the rainy conditions and the possibility of flood danger resulting from rainfall, many areas and suburbs of this county are considered high-risk areas.

The governor of Andimeshk said: “Residents of Papi-Abad, Dobandar residential area, and Aliabad from the suburbs of the central district of this county, which are in the path of the river, must evacuate their homes as soon as possible.”

Peyman Jahangiri added: “The district administrator and village heads in these areas are engaged in immediate notification of residents, and necessary measures have been considered to control incidents, and we hope there will be no serious danger.”

Source: DW