Iran expands flood warnings, tens of thousands evacuate after record floods kill at least 70 people – “Iran is under water”

This picture taken on 11 April 2019 shows trees partially submerged by water from floods in Ahvaz, the capital of Iran's southwestern province of Khuzestan - Authorities ordered tens of thousands of residents of the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz to evacuate immediately on 10 April 2019 as floodwaters entered the capital of oil-rich Khuzestan province, state television reported. Photo:
Atta Kenare / AFP / Getty Images — This picture taken on 11 April 2019 shows trees partially submerged by water from floods in Ahvaz, the capital of Iran’s southwestern province of Khuzestan – Authorities ordered tens of thousands of residents of the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz to evacuate immediately on 10 April 2019 as floodwaters entered the capital of oil-rich Khuzestan province, state television reported. Photo:
Atta Kenare / AFP / Getty Images

By Golnar Motevalli
13 April 2019

(Bloomberg) – Authorities in Iran expanded flood warnings to five additional provinces Saturday as rescue efforts continue across the western flank of the country already drenched by heavy rain.

Residents from the northeast to the south, including islands in the Persian Gulf, have been told to brace for flooding, thunderstorms and heavy showers in the next two days, the semi-official Fars news reported, quoting Ahed Vazife, director of meteorological forecasts and warnings at the Meteorological Organization of Iran.

Severe floods since 19 March 2019 have so far killed 70 people and forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of others from scores of villages across swathes of Iran’s northwestern and central region.

Khorasan Razavi, Khorasan Shomali and Khorasan Junoubi in Iran’s northeast and Sistan-Baluchistan, Bushehr and Hormuzgan in the south, including the island of Qeshm, will be affected by a weather front starting as soon as Saturday night and continuing into Sunday, Vazife is quoted as saying.

Khorasan Razavi, home to Iran’s second-largest city Mashhad, expects an “unprecedented” level of rainfall of above 50 millimeters (2 inches) in some areas, Vazife said. [more]

Iran Expands Flood Warnings to Five Northeast, Southern Areas

This photograph released by the Iranian news agency Fars News on 23 March 2019, shows flooded streets in the northern Iranian village of Agh Ghaleh. Photo: Ali Dehghan / AFP / Getty Images

Record floods in Iran kill 62, cause more than $1 billion in damage

By Dr. Jeff Masters
3 April 2019

(Weather Underground) – Weeks of torrential rains in Iran have caused record flooding that have killed at least 62 people and caused $1.1 billion in agricultural damage. Unofficial estimates have put the total economic cost at $3.6 billion. According to EM-DAT, this would rank as the second most expensive flood in Iranian history, behind the $5.4 billion damage (2019 dollars) wrought by the floods of April – June 1992. The death toll of the 2019 floods rank as the 18th deadliest flood in Iranian history.

According to a news release put out by the International Red Cross/Red Crescent (IFRC) on the crisis on Wednesday, the floods started in mid-March in Golestan Province in northeast Iran and have since spread to 23 of the country’s 31 provinces. Golestan received 70% of its annual rainfall in just one day in mid-March. The floods have closed 2199 roads, damaged 84 bridges, and brought two dams near their maximum level, forcing downstream evacuations. [more]

Record Floods in Iran Kill 62, Cause Over $1 Billion in Damage

Following heavy rains in Lorestan province, devasting floods hit different parts of Lorestan, causing considerable damages in different cities of this province and overflowing of the Khorram Rood river. Photo: Mizan News Agency

“Iran is under water” – IFRC announces support as flood crisis worsens

Beirut/Geneva, 3 April 2019 (IFRC) – As the flooding emergency in Iran worsens, the world’s largest humanitarian network has released just under 500,000 Swiss francs to bolster local Red Crescent relief efforts.

The funds released from IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) will be used to provide 3,000 families that have lost homes and livelihoods with unconditional cash grants.

Sayed Hashem, IFRC’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said:

“Iran is under water. This is an unprecedented crisis that has now touched at least 23 of Iran’s 31 provinces. While the precise impact is still to be seen, it is already very clear that the floods have caused extensive damage and suffering in villages, cities and rural areas.”

The Iranian Red Crescent is at the forefront of humanitarian response efforts. According to figures provided by the Red Crescent, more than 11,000 of their relief workers have reached more than 192,000 people across the country with life-saving care and support.

“The Red Crescent response is massive, and it is growing every day. Red Crescent volunteers and staff have evacuated hundreds of people to safety, and have distributed food and items such as tents, blankets and health kits to tens of thousands of people,” said IFRC’s Hashem.

“But the scale of this crisis means that more help is needed. So, in addition to the funds we are providing, we are also working with our Red Crescent colleagues in Iran to see how we can expand our support.”

The floods started in mid-March in Golestan Province in north-east Iran and have now spread to at least 23 of the country’s 31 provinces. They are the result of unprecedented rain fall. For example, Golestan received 70 per cent of its annual rainfall in just one day in mid-March. Further heavy rain is expected over the coming days which will likely worsen the situation even further.