Death Toll from Floods in Iran’s Northwestern Regions Rises to 42

According to ISNA news agency, Ismail Najjar said on Saturday, April 15, that the bodies of six more individuals were found in Ahar county in East Azerbaijan, bringing the death toll in this city to 18.

He also announced that the bodies of 18 victims were found in Ajabshir county in East Azerbaijan.

According to Mr. Najjar, one person died from floods in Asnuyeh county in West Azerbaijan, one person in Baneh county in Kurdistan province, and four people in Saqqez county in Kurdistan province.

Regarding the number of missing persons in these incidents, however, varying statistics have been reported. While the head of the Crisis Management Organization reported the number of missing people in Ahar county as 22, Pirouz Hanachi, the head of the country’s emergency services, said that eight people are still missing in these incidents.

Since Friday, five provinces—East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, Kurdistan, Zanjan, and Mazandaran—have been affected by floods and inundation, with the greatest casualties occurring in the two counties of Ahar and Ajabshir in East Azerbaijan.

Meanwhile, the director general of public relations of the Red Crescent Society announced that relief services have been provided to 1,860 citizens in 40 cities and villages affected by the floods, and 288 people have been given “emergency shelter.”

Vahid Rahmati also reported that rescue forces have pumped water from 179 residential units and removed 40 vehicles from the path of floodwaters.

On Saturday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a message expressing sympathy with those “bereaved” by the incident, emphasized that “the immediate duty of responsible officials is to assist the victims and reduce their suffering and grief, and any delay or negligence in fulfilling this duty must be avoided.”

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani also on this day delegated a delegation headed by Hamid Chitchian, the Minister of Power, to visit West and East Azerbaijan provinces as well as Ardabil to oversee the process of providing relief to flood victims.

Mr. Rouhani also, in separate telephone conversations with the Minister of Power and the governors of East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, and Ardabil, called for the deployment of “all capabilities,” including those of neighboring provinces, to “organize as quickly as possible” relief efforts for flood victims.

The Friday prayer leader of Tabriz and the representative of the Supreme Leader in the province, as well as the governor of East Azerbaijan, declared Sunday as a day of public mourning in the province.

In recent months, some areas of Iran have suffered damage from floods and inundation.

Including in the late month of Esfand (March), heavy rainfall accompanied by storms and severe sea surge in the port of “Deir” in Bushehr province, in addition to material damage, resulted in at least two deaths and several injuries.