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rferl.org – Flash floods in Iran’s drought-stricken southern province of Fars have killed at least 21 people following heavy rainfall, state media reported on July 23.
The flooding hit several towns and villages near the city of Estahban where torrential rainfall swelled the Roudbal River, a local official said.
Videos posted on local and social media showed vehicles being carried away by the rising waters of the river. One video showed adults pulling a child from a car as it began to shift downstream.
According to city Governor Yousef Karegar, rescue teams saved 55 people who were trapped by the flash flooding, but at least six people were still missing.
Photos released by Iran’s Red Crescent Society showed rescue workers walking on cracked dry soil while others searched among reeds.
The flooding began at around 5 p.m. local time on July 22, on a summer weekend in Iran, when families tend to head to cooler areas such as rivers, lakes, and valleys.
Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi shared his condolences with the families of the flood victims, state television said.
Iran has seen repeated droughts over the past decade, but also regular floods.
In 2019, heavy flooding in the country’s south killed at least 76 people and caused damage estimated at more than $2 billion.
In Fars Province, a flash flood caused the death of 44 people in March 2018.
Experts say climate change amplifies droughts and floods and that their intensity and frequency in turn threaten food security.
