Floods in Iran: Evacuation of Dozens of Villages in Khuzestan; 'Unfavorable' Relief Efforts in Poladkahr

Kiamarz Hajizadeh, the director general of crisis management in Khuzestan province, states that in the past four days, at least 67 villages along the Dez, Karkheh, and Karun rivers have been evacuated. Meanwhile, the Iranian Red Crescent has reported an 'unfavorable' relief effort in the crisis-hit city of Poladkahr. According to a report by the IRNA news agency on the morning of March 14, 11 villages in Shush, 9 villages in Dezful, 27 villages in Shushtar, 13 villages in Ahvaz, and several villages in Shadgan, Dasht-e Azadegan, Karun, and other areas have been evacuated. Mr. Hajizadeh mentions that the cities of Seyed Naeem, Susangerd, Bastan, and Rafieh, as well as dozens of villages in Ahvaz, Shush, Hamidiyeh, Dasht-e Azadegan, and Hoveyzeh, in the Karkheh watershed, and also the villages of Dezful, Ahvudisht Shush, Shoaibiyeh Shushtar, and Bamdezh, in the Dez watershed, are at risk. Images shared on social media also indicate floods and crises caused by rainfall and river overflow in various parts of Khuzestan. The Iranian Red Crescent announced on Wednesday morning that '50 tons' of goods and relief items have been sent to the flood-affected areas of Khuzestan; some images and videos shared indicate citizens' dissatisfaction in temporary camps and a 'shortage' of facilities such as blankets and food supplies. On the other hand, reports from Lorestan also indicate a critical situation in some areas, cities, and villages affected by floods. The Iranian army announced yesterday that a group of marine commandos from the special operations brigade, as well as several boats for search and rescue operations, helicopters, and patrol aircraft have been dispatched to the flood-affected areas in the west and southwest. In recent days, various reports have been published about the critical situation in Poladkahr and other areas of Lorestan province. However, the Iranian Red Crescent, in a statement released on the morning of April 14, stated that the relief situation in Poladkahr has not followed a 'favorable' trend. The Red Crescent stated that 'relief efforts in the city of Poladkahr have unfortunately not followed a favorable trend due to some tensions and emotional behaviors and the lack of necessary order and calm for the relief workers to carry out their activities, despite dozens of flights.' This organization did not provide further details. Images shared on social media reportedly show Mohsen Rezaei's presence in Poladkahr, while some citizens protest against him, claiming he has come to take selfies. At least five people—according to official statistics—lost their lives on Tuesday in Lorestan and Kurdistan. The spokesperson for Iran's emergency services reported on Tuesday, April 13, that 57 people have died in the recent floods.