Floods and mudslides in Iran have killed at least 69

Floods and mudslides in Iran have killed at least 69 people

Nezhad Jahani, a senior official at the organization, said at least 45 people are still missing in Tehran and three other provinces after the recent floods damaged at least 20,000 homes.

More than 20 provinces, including Tehran province, have been hit by the floods caused by heavy rains, the semi-official Fars news agency said. Several airports and major roads have been closed and thousands of people have been evacuated.

State media said Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has urged ministers and governors to prepare measures that would minimize damage from flooding, as the Iranian Meteorological Organization warned that rains would continue in several provinces.

Rescuers walk along an area damaged by flash floods in northwest Tehran on July 29, 2022.

Iran has been grappling with deadly floods and mudslides for two weeks, including in the south of the country. The Red Crescent said the damage in southern Fars province was caused by flooding from a dam on the Rodbal River near the city of Estahban.

Scientists say the climate crisis is making flash flood events like those seen in Iran this week more likely, because while more intense evaporation leads to more droughts, warmer air can hold more water vapor to create extreme precipitation events.

A study of the effects of climate change on Iran found that the extreme rainy and dry seasons are becoming more frequent and that there are longer periods of extremely hot temperatures and a higher frequency of flooding across the country. In 2019, floods following record rainfall killed more than 70 people in Iran.