Chaos Continues as Authorities Fail to Confirm Storm Deaths

Authorities have not been able to confirm the death toll following severe thunderstorms and flooding on July 19.

Since the storms — which Iran’s Meteorological Organization failed to forecast accurately — there have been conflicting reports about the number of fatalities and injuries.

Initial reports said that at least 14 people in Tehran and Alborz had died. Tehran city council board member Abolfazl Qanaati was quoted as saying that 20 people died after heavy rain and floods caused a landslide in Imamzadeh Davood area, while the deputy governor of Alborz province said six people lost their lives, 12 people were reported missing and 30 people has sustained injuries. A deputy minister at Tehran municipality offices said eight bodies had been recovered from the Kan River.

Several people died following flooding in the village of Seijan, about two hours from Tehran, but authorities were unable to confirm the number of deaths. Seijan official Mohammad Taqi Irani told Fars News Agency that there had been reports of several people missing from the Karaj-Chalus Road area, but that none of the reported missing were among the dead. The Crisis Management Committee chief in Alborz Province said more than 50 cars fell in the river, and about 15 of them had so far been recovered.

A spokesperson for the Iranian Red Crescent Organization said rescue teams with dogs had been sent out to locate missing people. “The highest number of casualties were in the Kan Soloughan area,” Seyed Mostafa Mortazavi told the Iranian Labour News Agency. “Search operations are focused on this area.” One official responsible for local services for Tehran municipality said illegal construction in the area probably contributed to the damage. “There are eight- and nine-storey high buildings in the village of Soloughan, which is totally against building regulations for the area,” the official said. “This kind of construction so close to rivers likely to flood is dangerous and will lead to more disasters in future.” He added that Tehran’s municipal authorities were not responsible for services in the Kan Soloughan area, but that it had helped evacuate a number of people.

Mortazavi said the Red Crescent had undertaken operations in nine provinces, providing services to 8500 people. “So far it has relocated 600 people.” But he was also unable to confirm the death toll, saying that “about 20 people” had lost their lives.

Mehr News Agency reported more than 50 incidents in Tehran on July 19, including “falling scaffolding, falling trees and broken electricity cables.” It reported that rescue units had responded quickly.

Read the original article in Persian

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