News - Floods claim 7 lives, 2 missing in northeast Iran

Seven people have been reported killed and two are missing due to recent floods in Iran’s northeastern Khorasan Razavi Province, with the majority occurring in the provincial capital Mashhad, according to Reza Abbasi, head of the Crisis Management Department of the province, reports Tasnim. The heavy rainfall, unprecedented in two decades, struck Mashhad, causing widespread flooding in urban areas on Wednesday. Ali Asghar Dehghanpour, director of the meteorology department in Khorasan Razavi, emphasized the gravity of the situation, urging residents to avoid flood-prone areas. The downpour exacerbated flooding, damaging infrastructure and agricultural lands with at least 200 rural houses inundated or damaged in villages in Sang Bast district. Despite ongoing drainage operations, the risk of further inundation remains high, necessitating swift action from municipal authorities. Governor Mohsen Davari detailed the extensive impact on communities, with hundreds displaced and residential units flooded. Red Crescent forces have been actively involved in rescue operations, providing aid to affected individuals across the province.