Drought-stricken Southeast Iran Hit By Floods

Damage To Agriculture And Infrastructure

6 Jan 2022 by The Water Diplomat
TEHRAN, Iran

Heavy rain and thunderstorms have caused floods in large areas of Iran with the south and southeast being most affected.

Record low precipitation in recent months has complicated the consequences of a decade-long drought in the region. It is estimated that approximately 95% of the southeastern Sistan-Baluchistan province is now effectively engulfed by drought.

The province has recorded a total of only 4.3 millimeters of rainfall over the past year, which "would deal irreparable blows to the [area's] economy, natural resources and agriculture”, according to Mohsen Heydari, director of the province’s state-run Office for Meteorology.

Neverthless, agricultural lands, houses and infrastructure have been damaged by the current inundation making rescue efforts more difficult and it has been one 8 year-old girl is reported to have drowned in the city of Bandar-Abbas.

The heavy rainfalls are now bringing more hardship to areas which were already under severe economic stress due to the severe drought.

As reported by The water Diplomat, protests have been squashed by the national riot police as the government was accused of mismanagement of water resources.

Well-known climate activist and Yale University senior fellow Kaveh Madani has left the country to avoid a trial over security charges. He claims Iran is in “water bankruptcy” and had been trying to convince the government to change its water management policies.

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