A responsible official in the Ministry of Education has stated that the danger of land subsidence has led to the closure of 42 schools in Isfahan Province. Nasser Fathi, the Director General of Renovation, Development, and Equipment of Schools in Isfahan, told the ISNA news agency on Sunday, November 18, that most of these closed schools are located in areas such as Barkhar and parts like Falavarjan and Khomeini Shahr. Mr. Fathi mentioned that the Education Department of Isfahan has made some other schools operate in two shifts to compensate for the closure of these schools, and some classes have also seen increased density. He described the phenomenon of land subsidence as 'ominous' and emphasized that a separate budget line should be defined for subsidence in Isfahan. According to this official, 200 billion tomans had previously been approved for this issue, but despite follow-ups, 'not a single rial has been made available to us so far.' Last year, Majid Abdollah, the Technical and Supervision Deputy of the Organization for Renovation, Development, and Equipment of Schools in the country, reported that the phenomenon of land subsidence has affected 285 schools in Isfahan. An archaeologist, who wished to remain anonymous, told Ham-Mihan that 'all areas' of Isfahan are involved in the problem, and subsidence has reached near historical sites in Isfahan. He mentioned structures like 'Hakim Mosque and Atiq, the Shahshahan Shrine, Darb Imam, the Minister's Bath, Ali Qoli Agha Mosque and Bath, and Seyyed Mosque' that are affected by subsidence. In April 2024, Mehdi Taqiani, a representative from Isfahan in the parliament, warned that the risk of increasing subsidence in this city is 'so serious that if no action is taken in the coming years, we all must leave Isfahan.' However, Isfahan is not the only province where the phenomenon of subsidence is critical; in recent years, numerous reports of sudden land subsidence in streets and residential areas in various cities across Iran have been published. Ali Javadaneh, the head of the Mapping Organization, was one of those who warned about the situation of land subsidence in Iran, stating that this phenomenon has approached 'urban areas and infrastructure facilities' in the country and is like a 'time bomb.' The situation of land subsidence in provinces such as Tehran, Alborz, Fars, Kerman, Hamadan, Semnan, Qazvin, Razavi Khorasan, North Khorasan, and Yazd has been described as critical, but among them, Isfahan has been one of the most vulnerable.
42 Schools in Isfahan Province Closed Due to Land Subsidence
42 schools in Isfahan Province have been closed due to the threat of land subsidence, with officials warning of the increasing severity of the issue. The Education Department is struggling to manage the situation, having received no financial support despite previous budget approvals. This phenomenon poses significant risks to both educational facilities and historical sites in the region.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
42 schools in Isfahan Province were closed due to the threat of land subsidence, with officials expressing concerns over the lack of financial support to address the issue. The situation has also affected historical sites in the region.
- Land subsidence has previously impacted 285 schools in Isfahan.
- The Education Department has not received any of the 200 billion tomans allocated for addressing subsidence.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Land subsidence is a significant environmental issue in Iran, exacerbated by factors such as groundwater depletion and urban development. It poses risks to both modern infrastructure and historical sites.
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