Several Schools in Tehran and Isfahan Evacuated Due to 'Land Subsidence'

The head of the Organization for Renovation, Development, and Equipment of Schools in Iran announced that about six percent of the schools in the country require demolition and reconstruction due to instability and have been evacuated. Hamidreza Khan Mohammadi told the ISNA news agency that the reasons for evacuating schools deemed unsafe vary across the country, and in Tehran and Isfahan, it is due to 'land subsidence.' According to him, 30 percent of the 104,000 classrooms need demolition, reconstruction, renovation, or reinforcement. Alireza Zakani, the current mayor of Tehran, mentioned last November that earthquakes, storms, floods, and land subsidence are four main issues facing the capital of Iran, stating, 'If we publish a list of unsafe buildings in Tehran, no one would remain in the city.' Kamran Abdoli, the deputy for fire protection and prevention at the Tehran Fire Department, also told the same news agency last April that 79 percent of incidents in Tehran's schools are due to deterioration. He described 50 percent of fires in educational centers in Tehran as stemming from unsafe electrical and gas installations. The safety issues in schools are a nationwide problem. The 'Salamat News' agency reported last November that one-third of schools across Iran are unsafe. Two earthquakes shook Damavand; the eastern part of Tehran province trembled. The Engineering System Organization warned that a thousand towers in Tehran are at risk of fire. Destruction continues in southern Tehran; the mayor of district 19 stated, 'We have no qualms with anyone.' A trade official noted that the demolition of buildings in 'Khalazir' occurred without the presence of supervising engineers.