Torrential rains and river overflows have unleashed havoc upon the provinces of Sistan and Baluchestan, Kerman, and Hormozgan, southeast Iran. The deluge, attributed to the systemic negligence and mismanagement of the regime, has resulted in power outages, isolating over 20 villages in Chabahar alone, and disrupting communications to 300 other villages in the region.
According to official sources, the rainfall situation in Kerman is deemed critical. The Crisis Management Director for the region has reported that severe rainfall has cut off communication to 10 villages and disrupted power in two others.
In Chabahar, situated in Sistan and Baluchestan province, river floods have severed access to 73 villages.
Authorities in Chabahar report extensive damage to roads, agriculture, and urban infrastructure due to the flooding, with 21 villages currently under siege by floodwaters.
In Nikshahr, heavy rainfall has caused power outages in 12 villages and blocked access to 154 villages in the district. The severe flooding in Sistan and Baluchestan province has claimed at least eight lives as of Thursday, April 18.
#Iran News:
Flash Floods Claim Lives in Southeastern Parts of the Countryhttps://t.co/QhvVe2CRZx— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) April 16, 2024
During the flooding in Sistan and Baluchestan, many homes in Konarak and Zarabad have been submerged, resulting in eight fatalities and at least two individuals missing, including a 9-year-old girl and two teenagers who drowned in the rivers of Kohurtak.
As a result of the floods, dozens of residential buildings in the rural areas of Saravan were submerged and destroyed on Sunday, April 14. Footage from the affected areas shows floodwaters inundating homes and causing damage to farmlands in villages across Jazmourian.
#Iran News in Brief
A recent report reveals Iran faces a severe #soil erosion crisis, with an annual average that amounts to 16.5 tons per hectare. This erosion threatens agriculture, contributes to floods, dust storms, and incurs economic damages exceeding $50 billion annually.… pic.twitter.com/imCNXE353L— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) March 15, 2024
On Thursday, images and reports surfaced of flooded streets in Zahedan and Chabahar following heavy rainfall.
In Chabahar, where rivers remained un-dredged, the waters have submerged homes in Moradabad by at least one meter. Residents, lacking government aid, have taken matters into their own hands, using limited resources such as shovels and pickaxes to clear pathways for water drainage.
In the following days, images of river overflows, floods, and inundated roads, homes, and agricultural fields in the Mahrane Rudbar Jonub, Iranshahr, Qasr-e Qand, and Pishm, and Konarak areas were also circulated.
The negligence of the clerical regime towards infrastructure, especially in Sistan and Baluchestan province, and the failure to dredge rivers and establish proper urban drainage systems, have resulted in annual casualties and significant financial losses due to seasonal floods and rainfall.