At Least Six Die In Mud, Landslide North Of Capital Tehran

At least six people have been killed and nine are injured in flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy downpours in areas north of the Iranian capital Tehran.

According to the country’s Red Crescent, rescue operations are still underway on Thursday to find at least 14 people who are reported missing. 

According to reports, at least one more died in the city of Roudehen, northeast of Tehran, and two children were killed in the city of Zahedan, in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan.

One of the places worst hit by mud and floodwater is the complex of the shrine of Imamzadeh Davoud, a Safavid-era mosque northwest of Tehran, where dogs are helping relief workers to find the bodies of victims or the trapped people. The mosque dates back to the era of Safavid dynasty (1501-1736) and lies close to Tochal ski resort in the Alborz Mountains, one of the city's popular trekking routes.

The flash floods started around 2:00 a.m. local time on Thursday after a heavy downpour resulted in landslides and mudslides in the foothills of Tehran’s Alborz mountains, officials said, adding that more precipitation is forecast for the area in the coming days. 

On July 22, heavy rains and subsequent flash floods in three cities of the southwestern Fars province left at least 22 dead. 

Iran has been suffering from drought for at least a decade and this year officials have been warning of a further decrease in precipitation. However, Iran’s metrology department had warned about possible heavy seasonal rainfall across the country. The dangers of flash floods have been exacerbated by the widespread construction of buildings and roads near riverbeds.