Death toll climbs to 56 in flash floods across Iran

The death toll has risen to 56 from devastating flash floods that have wreaked havoc across Iran in recent days, Iranian officials confirmed. 

On Saturday, the country’s leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei issued a message calling on officials to take the required measures to repair the damage caused by the floods.   

The secretary-general of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, Yaghoub Soleimani, said earlier Saturday that heavy rains across the country over the past week left 56 dead and at least 30 people missing. 

Triggered by heavy rain, the floods have taken the lives of residents from a number of provinces, including Tehran, Lorestan, Sistan-Baluchestan, Kerman and Yazd, IRNA reported.

The missing are in the provinces of Tehran, Mazandaran, Lorestan and Kerman, the  Iranian Red Crescent Society stated. 

According to Soleimani, 60 cities are grappling with the summer deluge. He also said 516 villages and 85 roads have been affected by the floods.

The Red Crescent Society has provided relief to more than 27,000 since last week and search and rescue efforts are expected to continue until all missing people are found. 

Turkey’s Defense Ministry meanwhile said Saturday it will send another plane to deliver emergency relief to Iran.

“A transport plane belonging to our Air Force, which will deliver the aid materials such as tents and blankets needed due to the flood disaster in Iran, departed from Ankara Etimesgut Airport. Another plane is planned to set off for the area,” the defense ministry said on Twitter.