Iran floods leave at least 30 dead, hundreds injured

At least 30 people were killed in the flash floods that ravaged several parts of Iran over the last few days, Iranian Legal Medicine Organization (ILMO) said in a statement.

According to ILMO website, Mehrdad Ali Bakhshi, deputy head of the organisation said that among the deceased, 19 people were from southern Shiraz city, five from northeastern Caspian Sea Golestan province, two from western Lorestan province, and each of four provinces of Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Kermanshah, and Semnan had one death report, Xinhua reported on Wednesday.

Over the last week, unprecedented snowstorm and flash floods swept northern, western and central Iran, when people were out celebrating the Iranian New Year started on March 21.

According to local media reports, hundreds were also injured while scores of families were relocated due to the destructive force of the floods and landslides.

The flood also caused losses of hundreds of millions of dollars to the agriculture sector, and damage to the residential rural areas.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has put all officials on full alert as widespread flooding continues in several parts of the country.

--IANS

vin/