The deputy head of Iran’s disaster emergency agency has said that the number of those killed in recent floods has reached 44 people, Mehr news agency reports.
Meanwhile, Iran Meteorological Agency (IRMO) has announced that in coming days more floods might hit the country. The fact that in many regions the ground is saturated the chance of more floods is a real possibility.
IRMO also warned that rains in coming days will be severe in some areas.
Although the worst of the current storm system is moving out of Iran’s eastern borders, strong showers are still expected in some regions on Thursday, March 28. The Zagros mountains might experience more rains and floods.
President Hassan Rouhani announced on Mach 27 that the government will provide financial support to affected regions and residents, but the extent of material damage has not been assessed yet.
Officials have announced that based on initial estimates in the agricultural sector, around $200 million dollars of damage has been incurred.
The bright spot in the climate disaster for Iran is a partial improvement in water reservoirs and dams after several years of drought. Some lakes that had lost close to 50 percent of their water level have also begun to rise.
The water level in salt-water Lake Urmia in the northeast is said to have risen by 31 centimeters (one foot) since last September. The volume of the lake has increased from one billion cubic meters to two billion. Iran’s ministry of energy says that Urmia’s surface has increased from 2,200 square kilometers to 2,500 (965 sq miles), but to return to its original size, the lake must increase by another 2,000 sq km.