TEHRAN — Iranian benefactors have donated some 2 trillion rials (nearly $48 million) for reconstruction of schools damaged by recent flood in the country, IRNA news agency reported on Monday.

The donation was made over a charity event held on Monday night. During the event, the Ministry of Education and Mohammad-Hassan Aboutorabi Fard, interim Friday prayer leader of Tehran, also committed to provide reconstruction projects of the flood-stricken schools with 1 trillion rials each (nearly $24 million).

Education Minister Mohammad Bat’haei said during the event that following devastating floods some 1,500 schools were damaged, 200 of which are razed to the ground.

1,300 schools damaged by the flood will be repaired and prepared for the students by the beginning of the next school year starting on September 23, Bat’haei added.

The minister went on to highlight that last year (March 2018-March 2019) more than half of the school classes were built by benefactors and within a 10-year period the number of dilapidated schools dropped from two thirds to one thirds.

Mehrollah Rakhshanimehr, director of schools renovation, development and equipment organization, for his part, explained in order to reconstruct and repair damaged schools in 9 flood-hit provinces some 4.4 trillion rials (nearly $104 million) is needed.

Extreme rainfall, starting on March 19, has caused flooding in 28 out of 31 provinces affecting 42,269,129 inhabitants in 253 cities and causing widespread damage to municipal facilities, including roads, sewage systems, health centers, hospitals, etc.

The floods have left 78 people dead and 1,137 injured. As many as 295,787 people have been displaced.

MQ/MG