TEHRAN — 11 provinces in Iran have been struck by flood due to unprecedented rainfalls over the past days.

Drastic addition of water to the rivers after years of drought and water scarcity have resulted in overflow of the rivers in different provinces, Alireza Da’emi, deputy energy minister for planning, said on Thursday.

Years of drought have made it possible for illegal constructions in riversides and now massive damages occurred due to overflow of rivers, Da’emi explained.

“It must be shocking and difficult to believe if I tell you that 8,000 cubic meters of water has entered Dez Dam (in Khuzestan province) last night (Wednesday night), while normally this amount fluctuates between 60 to 600 cubic meters,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Rescue and Relief Chief Nasser Charkhsaz explained that many cities in Ilam, Khuzestan, and Lorestan provinces have suffered considerable damages caused by inundation.

Three are dead in Ilam province and a 21-year-old woman is missing, Charkhsaz said, adding in all eleven provinces 2,300 persons received relief services.

According to the reports, Dezful bridge in Khuzestan province is wrecked by the flood and people are forced to evacuate their houses and seek refuge in neighboring cities. 

“8,000 cubic meters of water has entered Dez Dam (in Khuzestan province) last night (Wednesday night), while normally this amount fluctuates between 60 to 600 cubic meters,” Da’emi said.

The deputy governor general of Khuzestan province, Ahmad Sayyahi, also said that over the past 72 hours 120 millimeters of rain has fallen and “we had to let 5,000 cubic meters of water out of Dez dam.”

Sayyahi added that so far 13 villages have been evacuated in the province.

Moreover, Lorestan Governor General Houshang Bazouvand gave an account of the damages caused by the flood in Lorestan, saying, “We have lost connection with 80 villages in the area and 1,500 houses in the cities and 2,000 ones in the villages are flooded.”

Moreover, Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian said that since April 11 some one billion cubic meters of water has entered rivers in Khuzestan and more than 9 billion cubic meters of water has flowed into Dez dam which is unprecedented.

There is now more than 3 billion cubic meters water in Karkheh dam, Khuzestan province, and the dam has enough space for an additional 2 billion cubic meters of water so there is nothing to worry about, Chitchian said.

The houses adjacent to Karun and Dez rivers are evacuated and things will get back to normal from Friday afternoon.

He categorically denied rumors about destruction of Dez dam due to the rainfalls, saying everything is under control.