The heavy rain that has been pouring down on Iran for days has led to flooding in many towns. Around 37,000 people have lost their accommodation so far and are homeless as a result of the storm. The number of dead has risen to at least 69. 40 people were seriously injured and more than 20,000 houses were badly damaged. This was announced by the Iranian Interior Ministry on Sunday, according to the Isna news agency.
Across the country, rescue workers continued to search desperately for missing people. The storms have hit 24 of the country’s 31 provinces, including the capital Tehran, in the past 72 hours.
As the “Tagesschau” reports, numerous roads were closed due to landslides. In the desert city of Yazd, around 600 kilometers southeast of Tehran, the water penetrated the historic old town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Since storms and floods are also to be expected in the next few days, the authorities fear more deaths. On Sunday, it was still too early for the government to determine the extent of the damage, which experts estimate is likely to be in the billions. President Ebrahim Raisi promised financial aid to those affected, but due to the current economic crisis it is unclear when the aid money can be paid out.
Large parts of Iran have an arid climate. In the past decade there have been repeated periods of drought, but also regular torrential rains that have resulted in flooding.
Sources: “Tagesschau”
