Minister of Roads and Urban Development: Roads were blocked due to faulty construction
Iran's Minister of Roads and Urban Development has said that due to faulty construction, the recent flood flowed into cities and villages instead of flowing down rivers, causing great destruction. He says that Iran's rivers were not dredged in a timely manner.
Mohammad Eslami, Iran's Minister of Roads and Urban Development, spoke about the causes of the severe flood damage in Iran on Thursday, April 4, after a government delegation meeting with the Leader of the Islamic Republic. The meeting was dedicated to examining the consequences and damage of the widespread floods in Iran.
The Minister of Roads, pointing out that the country's infrastructure was not prepared for such a severe flood, said: "Most of the rivers had not been dredged. If they had been dredged, this would not have happened. A number of bridges collapsed. These bridges are bridges that have been hit by water from different directions. The bridge is supported by a raft that is mounted on it. These bridges were damaged due to the attack on the rivers."
The Minister of Roads also says that the rivers of Golestan Province had not been dredged either: "The flow of sediment from the Caspian Sea is from west to east and comes to the foot of the Caspian Sea, which is the entrance of two rivers. All the sediment has accumulated there."
Turning paths into roads and streets
The Minister of Roads, in an interview with mass media, including Khabar Online, said that the destructive force of the flood was due to the closure of canals. He said: "For example, what happened in Shiraz. The water has come in its own way, we have turned the canals into roads and streets. The water was going its own way towards the river, we have occupied the water path."
The Minister of Roads emphasized that many scientific and specialized requirements have not been met in Iranian urban development, and many roads, paths, and bridges have been built at low elevations that easily go under water if a flood occurs.
According to the Minister of Roads, numerous rural roads were destroyed during the recent floods and “there were landslides and landslides at 500 points.” He added that about 50,000 housing units were damaged in the floods and need to be rebuilt or repaired.
Mohammad Eslami said that officers are working to create temporary bypasses for traffic. He added: "At 3 a.m. the day before yesterday (Tuesday), colleagues succeeded in opening the first bypass to Pol-e-Dokhtar." According to him, relief forces are currently working in Pol-e-Dokhtar.
Source: DW
