TEHRAN – All the facilities and capacities of the country have been mobilized to assist people in the flood-stricken province of Sistan-Baluchestan, IRNA news agency reported on Tuesday.

Unprecedented heavy rainfall which began on January 10 has led to flash flooding in the southeastern province, as 145 stations have recorded rainfall, 95 of which have reported receiving more than 50 mm of rain and 17 stations received some 100-200 mm.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a message, called on all responsible bodies and the public to help the flood-affected people of Sistan-Baluchestan as much as possible.

Currently, 3,500 people are working and providing relief and rescue operations in the flood-stricken areas of the province.

According to preliminary estimates, a loss of 6.5 trillion rials (nearly $155 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) have been brought to the agricultural sector of the region.

Esmaeil Najar, head of the Disaster Management Organization, told IRNA on Monday that heavy rainfall in urban and rural areas of the province have caused damage to roads, parks, infrastructure, and equipment amounting to 3.3 trillion rials (about $78 million).

He went on to say that over 3,000 people who had got stuck in flood were rescued.

According to the latest assessments, roads to around 500 villages have been blocked, 179 villages have hit by power cuts and drinking water have been shut off in 245 villages.

FB/MG