At least 24 people have died and others are still missing in torrential rains and flooding that hit areas near Tehran yesterday (Wednesday), officials said on Friday, with similar weather events reported in other provinces. .
As of Wednesday, large areas of the Islamic Republic have been affected by large amounts of heavy rains that have led to heavy rainfall, flooding and soil erosion.
And the Iranian Red Crescent Society said today, Friday, in a statement that “24 people have died in the village of Imamzade Daoud in the west (of the capital) and in the districts of Firuzkoh, Rodhun and Damavand in the east of Tehran due to heavy rains and heavy rains.”
She indicated that “rescue operations and the search for 19 missing people” are continuing in these areas of Tehran province.
Governor Mohsen Mansouri confirmed to state television that in the Firuzko area, 10 people had been killed and 12 wounded in recent hours, while 16 were missing.
He explained that this mountainous region, about 130 km east of the capital, “has been hit hardest by rock erosion.”
Yesterday, Thursday, authorities confirmed that at least seven people had died as heavy rains hit areas near Tehran, most notably the tourist village of Imamzadeh Daoud, west of the capital.
Interior Minister Ahmed Vahidi said on Friday that 18 of the country’s 31 provinces are facing heavy rains, including Mazandaran, Alborz, Markazi, Isfahan and Yazd, as well as Tehran.
“The roads were flooded, especially in the historic center” of the city, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, said Vahidi, who traveled to Yazd (the center).
The climate in southern and central Iran is mostly dry, but flooding has occurred in these areas in several stages, the latest of which was last week.
On Saturday, officials announced that at least 22 people had died as heavy rains hit parts of Fars province (south).
In January, floods caused by heavy rains killed at least eight people, most in Fars.
Large-scale floods in Iran in March and April 2019 killed at least 76 people and caused damage estimated at about $2 billion.
Scientists believe that climate change is exacerbating extreme climate events, including drought, in addition to the potential for more storms and rainfall.
In a short text message, the Iranian Red Crescent Society urged Iranians not to approach riverbeds or visit hiking areas in the mountains until Monday as rain is expected during that period.
