Lorestan at risk of flooding again; Crisis Headquarters on alert
Since the beginning of March, more than 100 mm of rain has fallen in Lorestan. Kohdasht, Pol-e Dokhtar, Khorramabad, and Borujerd are facing danger as the damage from the Nowruz floods has not yet been repaired. Residents living along the rivers have been asked to move to safer places.
With 130 permanent and seasonal rivers, Lorestan is one of the five flood-prone provinces of Iran. Most of the villages and towns in the province are also located along high-water rivers. These towns face the destruction of houses and infrastructure, including roads and bridges, with every flood.
In the early days of March, more than 100 millimeters of rain fell in Lorestan; an amount that, according to the provincial Meteorological Department, is equal to the amount of rainfall in April 2019. The department has warned of the possibility of flooding, rising river water, landslides, and slippery roads, and has predicted that torrential rains in the coming days will be accompanied by thunderstorms of 70 to 90 kilometers.
The Lorestan Provincial Crisis Management Headquarters has declared a state of alert and has asked families living on the banks of rivers to move their livestock, household goods, documents, movable property, and vehicles and seek refuge in safe areas as soon as possible.
Kohdasht, Pol-e Dokhtar, Durud, Aligudarz and Khorramabad have been identified as cities at risk of flooding. The governor of Khorramabad has announced that 70 villages in the city are at risk of flooding and landslides. The old Khorramabad-Pol-e Dokhtar road has also been closed since Monday, March 25, until further notice.
The deputy head of the Lorestan Housing Foundation also announced that there are 153,000 non-resistant housing units in the province and warned of possible dangers. It has been announced that people can use halls and sports facilities for accommodation in the event of a flood. The halls of Pol-e-Dokhtar, which were severely damaged in the previous flood, have been excluded from such a possibility.
The governor of Pol-e-Dokhtar told ISNA news agency: "Emergency housing, food, and other essential items have been provided, and necessary measures have also been taken regarding drinking water and fuel."
The Nowruz 2019 floods in Lorestan, Khuzestan, and Golestan caused between 30 and 35 trillion tomans in damage and claimed the lives of at least 62 people.
The threat of flooding and destruction looms over the people of Lorestan, while unofficial reports indicate the spread of the coronavirus and the hospitalization of several infected patients in the province's hospitals. The governor of Lorestan says there are no confirmed cases of the coronavirus, but people should be careful and pay attention to health warnings. However, in a field report, IRNA News Agency reported the lack of masks and disinfectants in Khorramabad pharmacies and the lack of even the most basic medical equipment and facilities in the province.
Source: DW
