At least 18 individuals have lost their lives in a devastating series of flash floods that have ravaged Iran’s southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan.
Numerous villages lie in ruins, leaving approximately 300 communities without access to power and water.
Despite efforts from Baluch activists, one person remains missing. The region grapples not only with overflowing rivers but also with landslides that have rendered key roads and communication channels impassable. Official reports signal widespread destruction to water facilities in 289 villages and six cities.
Reports from social media depict a lack of government-led rescue missions in several impacted areas, with aid trickling slowly, if at all, to some regions. A journalist shed light on the dire scarcity of essential supplies like water and food, underlining that this flood marks the second large-scale displacement of residents in recent memory.
The public has voiced escalating concerns following Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian’s offer of assistance to the UAE amidst similar calamities while domestic support remains inadequate. Additionally, the escape of short-snouted crocodiles from local ponds has posed further threats to the populace.
The region’s vulnerability to seasonal rains and floods stems from longstanding neglect of crucial infrastructure maintenance, such as river dredging and urban water system upkeep. This oversight leads to significant annual human and economic losses.
The impact of the weather crisis transcends Iran’s borders, with neighboring countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan grappling with substantial casualties from interconnected flooding, resulting in a death toll of at least 168 individuals.
