Flooding In Tehran As Death Toll Climbs And More Severe Rain Expected In Iran

Iran: Landslide near Tehran blocking a road. March 26, 2019

Some parts of the capital city of Iran, Tehran, are reportedly submerged in flood water, while the traffic police have been forced to block several roads and highways.

The latest reports say that at least 32 people have lost their lives in the recent flash floods that hit more than 28 out of 31 provinces in the country.

Iran Meteorological Organization (IRMO) says heavy precipitation is expected in Tehran, today, Tuesday, March 26, as well as tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Tehran's police reports that a seven-meter (approximately 7.7 yards) long and five meters wide landslide has occurred in Kan-Souleqan road, near the capital.

"Blocks of stone as heavy as four to five tons have hit the road," Deputy Governor of Greater Tehran, Gholamhossein Aram, announced, adding, "No casualty has been reported, so far."

Flooding in the capital started Tuesday afternoon.

All restaurants and service stations in the basin of Darakeh, Darband, Lavasan and Fasham, north of Tehran, have been closed since Monday.

Furthermore, Tehran's Nahj ol-Balagheh park was closed down on Tuesday.

The last flash floods in Tehran left nearly twenty dead in summer of 2015.

In recent days nineteen people lost their lives in flash floods that hit the historic city of Shiraz, the head of relief department of Iran Red Crescent reported, adding that in four more people fell victim to the flood in the provinces of Kermanshah, Kohgilouyeh&Boyer Ahmad, Lorestan, and Khuzestan.

Reports emerged late on March 26 that a flood rescue boat capsized in northen Iran, with as many as 17 volunteers on board. Some sources put the number of the occupants as high as 26. Many have been saved but at least three have drowned.

Floods hit northern Iran over the weekend but many parts of Golestan Province is still under water and access is possible with boats.

Earlier government officials claimed that flood waters have subsided but in a video released on Twitter shows a lawmaker representing Golestan, in a boat inspecting the damage and criticizing the claims that the situation has improved.

IRMO has predicted that heavy precipitation in many provinces would bring more rainfalls and all organizations should be on alert in the next 24 hours as the warnings are still in place.

Flood warnings have also been issued for other Iranian provinces, including Tehran, Qom, Kermanshah, Markazi, Isfahan, Khorasan. Local officials in Tehran have assured that all resources are made ready and all emergency forces are on high alert for any extreme situation, the government's official news agency, IRNA, reported late Tuesday.

It has also been predicted that extreme weather will hit Iran's various provinces at the weekend.

According to the local news outlets, Iran Road Maintenance & Transportation Organization has reported that a number of main roads were blocked due to heavy rain, snow and possible risk of avalanche, landslide, and river floods. People are warned to avoid unnecessary trips.

At least 28 provinces out of 31 have been affected by floods, and hundreds of people are now displaced.