Teheran (dpa) - Poisonous snakes in Iran have started attacking people as a result of a drought, triggering panic in arid southern regions, the official news agency IRNA reported Tuesday.
IRNA said apparently parched snakes in search of water have attacked people in Shahid Rajaie over the past week.
Foot-and-mouth disease has also spread as a result of the drought, with a large number of buffaloes dying of the disease.
Water rationing has come into force in all major Iranian cities, including the capital Teheran. Last year's drought destroyed three million tons of wheat and barley as well as a million heads of livestock, increasing the country's dependency on food imports. dpa fm vb
AP-NY-07-10-01 0822EDT
Copyright (c) 2001 dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur
GmbH
Received by NewsEdge Insight: 07/10/2001 08:23:44
Disclaimer
- Deutsche Presse Agentur
- Copyright (c) dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH