For drought-stricken Iran, a second year of heavy rains have brought much needed water but also floods, killing two people.
An official of Red Crescent Organization has said that two people died in floods in Torbat Jam township and an official in the norther Mazanderan province reported one person missing.
Many roads have been severed by floods and several villages in the north are without drinking water. Floods have also done damage to agricultural lands.
Heavy rains and floods have affected provinces of Gorgan, Mazanderan, in the north and the northeast of the country, closing schools.
Iran was suffering from a long drought and serious water shortage until last year, when rains in the fall began falling and, in the spring, unprecedented floods hit 26 provinces. Dozens were killed and billions of dollars of damage inflicted on homes, industries and agriculture.
Currently, Iran’s more than 100 big and small dams still have close to 40 percent capacity available, but if rains persist into the winter and spring another serious flood situation cannot be ruled out.
Years of drought and lack of good management have also depleted underground water reservoirs, affecting both drinking water and agriculture. In addition, the ground has been sinking in many regions, with the capital estimated to sink 10 inches a year.
