TEHRAN — With only five days passed from Iranian New Year some provinces across the country including Golestan, Mazandaran, and Fars are hit hard by catastrophic floods.

Over the past eight days at least 70 villages in Golestan and more than 200 in Mazandaran, in northern Iran, are inundated. Aqqala in Golestan is the worst hit where landslides have killed two people.

Moreover, on Monday southern city of Shiraz, Fars province, was stricken by flash flood. The severe flood claimed at least 17 and left dozens injured.

According to an announcement released by Iran’s Meteorological Organization (IMO) provinces of Fars, Bushehr, Khuzestan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Ilam, and Lorestan are susceptible to flood within next two days.

Ahad Vazifeh, a weatherman with the IMO, has warned of floods in southwestern and southern Iran, ISNA news agency reported on Monday.

It is projected that provinces of Khuzestan and Lorestan receive 150 millimeters of rain within next 24 hours, Vazifeh explained.  

Rainfalls will be heavy in province of Khuzestan and rivers are predicted to overflow their banks, he warned.

Traffic police has requested the public to delay their trips for the next two days to avoid possible dangers.

MQ/