TEHRAN – Four ministers attended the parliament on Sunday to brief parliamentarians about the damages left by heavy floods that have stricken almost all provinces across Iran.

In the open session of the parliament, Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian, Agriculture Minister Mahmoud Hojjati and Transport and Urban Development Minister Mohammad Eslami explained about the repercussions of floods.

Rahmani Fazli said floods have left nearly $2.5 billion in damages. He said floods have hit 25 provinces. He also called on all state bodies to be prepared for probable heavy rainfalls in future days.

For his part, Ardakanian said 35 villages have no electricity and noted that floods have inflicted $152.2 million in damages to energy infrastructures. He also said that the level of water resources have increased by 62 percent.

Hojjati also said that floods have caused $942 million damage to agriculture sector.

And Eslami said that floods inflicted $255 million damage to roads, railways and houses.

He added that 725 bridges have been completely destroyed.

Since March 19, large parts of Iran have been inundated with flash floods. So far, about 76 people have lost their lives and hundreds of thousands been displaced.

After nearly two decades of droughts in Iran, such heavy rainfalls and consequent flash floods have been unprecedented. Some experts have attributed the destructive floods to climate change.

NA/PA