Flash Floods Kill Several, Inflict Damage In Over A Dozen Iranian Provinces

Iran has experienced severe weather over the past few days, causing fatalities, flooding, and damage to livestock and infrastructure.

According to the country’s Red Crescent Society 13 provinces were affected by the floods including Esfahan, Tehran, Semnan, Zanjan, Qazvin, and East Azerbaijan.

During the deluge in Ardestan, Esfahan Province, at least four people lost their lives, nine others were injured and two went missing. A total of 15 houses were destroyed.

In the city of Ahar, located in East Azerbaijan Province, heavy rain and flash floods resulted in one death and two injuries while the floods in Shahrud in Semnan Province inflicted severe damage to homes and other infrastructure. Such heavy floods at this time of the year is rare in Iran.

Several rescue operations were underway in Firuzkuh county near Tehran by the Red Crescent. As reported by Tasnim news agency, homes were damaged, and livestock lost in the area.

Meanwhile, strong winds damaged houses and broke the trees in the capital Tehran which led to the injury of approximately 25 people.

Several livestock were killed due to flash flooding in Zarandieh county near Tehran, while a person died as lightning struck him in Arak, according to Tasnim news agency.

Floods also occurred in the country in late May this year, causing four deaths in Faruj and Shirvan counties in North Khorasan province.

The massive flood in Iran took the lives of 62 people last year and dozens of others went missing. Indian sub-continent summer monsoons usually bring rain showers to Iran’s arid plateau, but every few decades the impact becomes more intense and causes flooding.

Partly due to the arid nature of the land and partly because of neglect in urban planning, even a modestly strong storm leads to deadly floods in Iran.