Flood victims in Kajur still in crisis after a month; officials only make "promises"

Victims of two floods in the mountainous region of Kojur in northern Iran are still in a critical situation after a month, and instead of receiving support and assistance, they have been faced with promises from officials.

According to IRNA, the two floods on August 10 and September 1 caused about 31 billion tomans in damage to farmers and livestock keepers in Mazandaran.

The village of Angas and the town of Kojur are among the affected areas. According to the report, the destruction of houses, the blockage of village roads, the destruction of the water supply network, and the destruction of “hundreds of livestock” are among the damages inflicted on these areas. Three houses were completely destroyed, 23 houses were damaged by about 30 to 40 percent, and household goods, including carpets and electrical appliances, were damaged, and hundreds of livestock were swept away.

Although provincial officials have held meetings to “repair the damage” and say they have provided “a truckload” of essential supplies to the victims, some flood victims told IRNA that they have not received “any assistance so far.” According to one livestock farmer, officials have only given him “10 tons of bran” and taken the money for it.

Despite the fact that the mountainous region of Kojur is prone to flooding and floods occur annually, according to the Kojur district governor, authorities had granted permission to build a livestock farm on the banks of the river, at the confluence of two rivers, to one of the livestock farmers who suffered the most damage.

Mismanagement of natural resources and unnecessary and unplanned dam construction have been cited as the main factors behind various environmental crises, including devastating floods and unprecedented droughts in Iran.

Source: Voice of America