ORUMIYEH -- The Head of the Natural Disasters Headquarters in West Azarbaijan Province, Nader Ghazipour, said here on Saturday that various natural disasters such as flood, earthquake, thunder, hail and landslide have cost this northwestern province more than Rls.200 billion in damage since the start of the Iranian year (started March 21).

The disasters damaged agriculture fields and town and village installations, he further said.

During an interview with IRNA, he said that the damage caused by a flood and a hail which hit the province this year is most visible in the cities of Maku and Khoy, and that a lightning and flood which hit the south of the province this year also inflicted damage to its residents.

He stressed that the afore-cited damage caused by natural disasters is apart from the damage caused by a drought which parched gardens, farms and drinking water substations of the province this year, and that the drought is still continuing.

As a result of this year's drought, the water level of Orumiye Lake is currently 38 centimeters lower than it was at this time last year, he added.

He said it is possible the diminishing water level of Orumiyeh Lake in recent years will reach it's lowest level this year, particularly in November and December.