Based on initial assessment reports from the Relief and Rescue Organisation of the Iranian Red Crescent, at least 11 people have been killed, 30 injured and 12 persons listed as missing in unseasonable flash floods in ten provinces of Iran during the last two days.
The flooding, triggered by torrential rains, affected several counties in 10 provinces including 2 counties in Alborz, 2 in Tehran, 10 in Mazandaran, 3 in Qazvin, 1 in Khorasane-Shomali, 3 in Kurdestan, 1 in Kerman, 2 in Semnan, 1 in Zanjan and 1 in Azerbaijane-Gharbi so far.
The flood has caused widespread damage and destroyed infrastructure in at least 37 villages including 3 in Alborz, 3 in Tehran, 15 in Mazandaran, 6 in Qazvin, 4 in Khrasane-Shomali and 6 in Kerman. Reportedly, some villages are inundated by water and most of access routes are cut-off. About 90 houses including 73 in Mazandaran, 5 in Qazvin, 6 in Kurdestan, 1 in Zanjan and 5 in Azerbaijane-Gharbi provinces have been reported as damaged.
The Iranian Red Crescent, as a biggest humanitarian organisation in the country, is assisting in the disaster response by 365 relief workers and rescuers in the form of 94 teams equipped with relief and rescue equipments including rescue sets, water pumps, sniffing dogs plus 92 light and heavy vehicles as well as ambulances.
Red Crescent relief efforts are still focused on search and rescue, with priority efforts to evacuate and locate all affected people in all provinces where the floods struck. So far 630 people have been sheltered and 6,000 people received the relief and rescue services up to now.
The National Society is working closely with the local authorities in the affected sites, helping in evacuation and rescue efforts as well as setting up relief tents, providing supplies and establishing the restoring family links services.
An unexpected summer storm and heavy rain struck the Iranian capital and its suburbs Sunday afternoon as well. Combined with heavy rains and lightening, the strong winds battered the northern, north western and western parts of the capital yesterday. No casualties were, however, reported in Tehran so far.