TEHRAN, March 26 (NNN- Xinhua) — At least 25 people were killed in the heavy rains and subsequent floods in Iran over the past week.
On Monday, flash flooding in the southern city of Shiraz killed 17 and injured 94 others, Pir-Hossein Koulivand, chief of Emergency Organization of Iran, was quoted by official IRNA news agency as saying.
Among the victims were six men, seven women and four teenagers, Koulivand added.
Footage from the state TV and social media showed flood washing away the cars, while IRNA put the number of damaged cars at around 200.
The flood in Shiraz inflicted financial damage on the city’s markets, including the Vakil Bazaar which is registered as a national heritage, Press TV reported.
Flash flooding and thunderstorms also hit other Iranian southwestern and western provinces on Monday. Some areas in the southwestern province of Khuzestan witnessed more than a month of rainfall in a few hours.
According to local officials in Khuzestan, the overflow of rivers claimed the lives of two children.
In another similar incident in Sarpol-e Zahab city in the western province of Kermanshah, a man was killed.
Tasnim news agency reported on Monday that the floods in northern Iranian provinces have claimed the lives of at least five people and destroyed hundreds of homes over the past few days.
Hassan Razavi, managing director of the Regional Water Company of Tehran, warned on Monday of heavy rainfall and inundation of provincial rivers in the coming days, Press TV reported.
“According to an announcement by Iran’s Meteorological Organization, heavy precipitation and subsequent flood are possible along the path of rivers and flood channels across the province,” Razavi was quoted as saying.
Photo courtesy Anadolu
The official also warned vacationists against erecting their tents around and on the bed of rivers, saying travellers should not stop to watch or shoot the flooding.
Meanwhile, Public Relations Department of Tehran’s international Mehrabad Airport said in a statement that some scheduled flights were cancelled or postponed because of foul weather conditions.
The cancellation of flights will continue until stable weather conditions are restored, the statement added.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has put all officials in all Iranian provinces on full alert as widespread flooding continues in many parts of the country, Press TV reported Monday.
Rouhani also called on provincial officials to coordinate necessary preparations to handle various issues facing people in the flood-hit areas.
On Monday, the Iranian authorities issued warnings for the public to avoid attempting to drive across the roads and riversides in the next 48 hours