Iran – 9 Dead After Flooding and Severe Weather in 6 Provinces

Nine people have reportedly died in flooding in Iran over the last few days. This is the second spate of flooding and severe weather to hit the country in recent weeks. At least 5 people are said to have died in storms across the country in late September.

Six Provinces Affected

Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) said that flooding has affected the provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran, Golestan, North Khorasan, Isfahan and Yazd.

“6,990 people were offered relief by the Red Crescent, 143 people transferred to safe places, and 327 were given emergency shelters in either Red Crescent bases or mosques.” said Morteza Salimi, head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society’s Relief and Rescue Organization.

Heavy rain began on 05 October, 2018. Ramsar in Mazandaran Province recorded 274.6 mm of rain in 24 hours to 06 October. Noshahr, also in Mazandaran Province, recorded 200.8 mm during the same period.

Flooding caused severe material damage and at least 6 fatalities in the province of Mazandaran. Areas were left without electricity after power lines were downed by the heavy rain and storms.

In the northern province of Gilan, flooding caused considerable damage in 6 counties, according to IRCS. Two fatalities were reported in Gilan province. One person died in the province of North Khorasan.

In total, 39 counties (154 towns and villages) have been impacted by flood. Over 660 homes have been damaged. IRCS said their relief operations are continuing in Gilan and Mazandaran.

Floods and Severe Weather in September

This is the second spate of flooding in the country in the last few weeks. Around 5 people died and 1,000 people were affected by floods after heavy rain from around 17 September, 2018.

According to Relief and Rescue Organization of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), the provinces of East Azarbaijan, West Azarbaijan, Ardebil, North Khorasan, Zanjan, Semnan, Golestan, Mazandaran, Hamedan, Isfahan, Khuzestan, Sistan and Baluchestan were impacted by flood and rainstorm.

At least 5 people died as a result of the severe weather, according to Iran’s Emergency Medical Services. Two people died when a wall collapsed in Alborz province. One person died in Semnan province and another in Golestan as a result of flooding and heavy rain. Around 45 houses were destroyed by a storm in Golestan. One other victim died after a lightning strike in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad.

“Relief workers pumped water out of 18 houses, distributing canned food, blanket, tent, lantern, ground sheet and plastic nylons among the household their houses damaged by flood,” said Morteza Salimi, head of the IRCS Relief and Rescue Organization.

Sandstorm in Sistan-Baluchestan

Severe weather continues to affect the country after a sandstorm in the south eastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan. Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reports that as many as 145 people were injured in the storm on 08 October.

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