After more than two weeks of flooding in Iran, the number of provinces affected by the floods is increasing daily. This natural disaster has claimed the lives of nearly 60 people in the country so far, and a state of emergency is declared daily in one city or region. Meanwhile, another newsworthy issue has been the tension between the government and the IRGC regarding aid to flood victims.
The governor of Ilam on Wednesday called for 'immediate measures and assistance' in the province. According to Mehr News Agency, Qasem Soleimani Dashtaki, in a video conference of the Supreme Crisis Management Council, requested immediate funding and assistance. He pointed out the damages inflicted on the infrastructure in the flood-affected areas of Ilam and financial losses to the people, stating: 'Most of the damages, in addition to residential homes, are related to road infrastructure and important bridges in the province, which require immediate government assistance.' Abdulreza Rahmani Fazli, the Minister of Interior, confirmed the damages in Ilam during this video conference, naming it the second most affected province in Iran regarding road infrastructure and emphasizing the need for necessary measures in this area.
The commander of the IRGC announced that the water inflow to the Karkheh Dam has reached 'critical level.' According to Mehr News Agency, Mohammad Ali Jafari, who visited the Karkheh Dam on Wednesday, stated: 'If necessary, to prevent damage to the dam and potential risks, the outflow of water from the Karkheh Dam may be slightly increased.' He noted: 'Considering the floods and heavy rainfall upstream in Khuzestan province, if it weren't for the Karkheh Dam, all western areas in the Khuzestan plain would be submerged.' Previously, the secretary of the Expediency Discernment Council had announced that the situation at the Karkheh Dam had reached a 'critical point.' Mohsen Rezaei stated that 'from a technical and standards perspective, the responsible individuals here say that if we do not release more water, next week, when there are new rains, and something happens to the dam, all previous considerations and efforts will be lost, leading to a major disaster.'
The special governor of Malayer reported that 1,540 residential units have been damaged or destroyed between 10 to 100 percent. According to Tasnim News Agency, Babollah Fathi noted that during the recent rains, six cities and 172 villages in Malayer were affected by flooding, resulting in two deaths and two injuries so far. He also mentioned that various damages have been inflicted on 'infrastructure, buildings, orchards, agricultural fields, and livestock facilities' in this county. Official statistics indicate that at least 62 people have died due to the recent floods in over 20 provinces in Iran.
The International Red Cross denied reports regarding the inability to send humanitarian aid to flood victims in Iran. Hours earlier, Ignatius Iulof York from the International Red Cross's public relations office in Geneva stated to Radio Farda that if the Iranian Red Crescent requests assistance, the International Red Cross currently has no restrictions on this matter. Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, claimed on Wednesday that foreign aid is being prevented from entering Iran, calling this action an 'unprecedented crime.' This comes as several countries and the International Red Cross have expressed readiness to send aid to flood victims, including the German ambassador announcing the provision of humanitarian assistance for Iran. Nevertheless, the Islamic Republic of Iran has not requested assistance from any country or organization so far. In this context, Eshaq Jahangiri, the First Vice President of Iran, stated that Iran does not need foreign aid. Previously, Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran, tweeted that 'according to the statements of the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Iranian Red Crescent cannot receive any financial resources due to illegal U.S. sanctions.' Bahram Qasemi, the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, also stated that due to U.S. sanctions, all accounts of the Iranian Red Crescent in foreign banks have been 'frozen,' and no foreign entity can send 'financial aid' to the flood victims in Iran.
The UN Development Program representative in Iran announced that some relief items for the recent flood victims in Iran have been provided. According to ISNA, Oguchi Daniels tweeted in Persian that the UN team in Iran is closely monitoring the situation and will support their efforts if the Iranian government requests assistance. Ms. Daniels also wrote: 'The duty of the United Nations is to support the Iranian government, and this is exactly what we have been doing since the beginning of this bitter crisis. Some relief items have been provided, and we will continue this work. Stay tuned for more information.'
A member of parliament from Borujerd and Oshtorinan stated on Wednesday that 1,600 rural residential units in Borujerd have been destroyed or damaged. According to ISNA, Aladdin Boroujerdi added that about 200 residential units in the villages of Borujerd have been destroyed due to the floods, and 1,400 units have been damaged and need repairs. He also mentioned that in the village of Tang Mohammad Haji and on the Abserdeh road in Borujerd, a very large landslide occurred, and the rural road in Kallehr has also subsided. This member of parliament noted that many bridges in the villages of Borujerd have been destroyed due to the floods, and 10,000 hectares of agricultural land in Borujerd have also been submerged.
Mahmoud Sadeghi, a member of parliament, tweeted on Wednesday warning the President of Iran that Lorestan province is 'on the brink of a disaster.' Mr. Sadeghi wrote: 'Pol-Dokhtar is submerged in mud, and the basic needs of the people such as food, water, and medicine have not been met, and disorder and lack of planning are rampant.' This member of parliament pointed out that 'organizing this situation requires national management and extraordinary budgeting' and wrote: 'With charitable donations and weak provincial management, the situation will not improve.' Simultaneously, Ghodratollah Valadi, the special representative of the governor of Lorestan in Maloulan, announced that food and essential items have been sent to the Maloulan region, but only 'one-third of the region's needs have been met,' stating that the situation in Maloulan is critical and not normal. Hamidreza Kazemi, a member of parliament from Pol-Dokhtar, also mentioned that some flood-affected residents of Pol-Dokhtar 'have been living in the desert for two nights and have taken refuge in the mountains with nothing.' This is while officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran have reported extensive aid to the residents of Pol-Dokhtar and other flood-affected areas in Lorestan province.
The head of crisis management in Khuzestan announced on Wednesday that the main flood has not yet reached this province and urged people to 'remain fully prepared and take warnings seriously.' According to ISNA, Kiamarz Hajizadeh reported that no fatalities have been reported in Khuzestan during the floods, adding that 96 villages have been partially and completely evacuated, and their residents have been accommodated in 35 emergency shelters. He noted that through the crisis management headquarters, 15 helicopters and five thousand sanitary service units have been provided to Khuzestan province, and local food companies are working at full capacity to prepare hot meals in the area. It was previously announced that schools in many cities of Khuzestan province, including Ahvaz, Bouyeh, Karoun, Hamidiyeh, Dasht Azadegan, Hoveyzeh, Shoaibiyeh, and some villages of Dezful and Khorramshahr will remain closed until April 19, and university activities in this province will also start with a one-week delay.
The Meteorological Organization, noting the arrival of a new rain system in Iran, reported 35 mm of rainfall expected next Saturday and Sunday in 11 western and southwestern provinces of Iran. According to Khabar Online, the Meteorological Organization's announcement stated that rainfall between 25 to 35 mm is expected in the provinces of Kermanshah, Ilam, northern and eastern Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Bushehr, and northern Fars. The organization advised related agencies managing water resources to take necessary measures to ensure safety and reduce the risk of potential flooding due to the new rains.