Iraqi Popular Forces Rush to Help Flooded People in Southwestern Iran

TEHRAN (defapress)- A convoy of Iraq's al-Nujaba Movement, consisting of 100 light and heavy vehicles containing humanitarian aid, arrived in Khuzestan province in Southwestern Iran to help the reconstruction and relief efforts after the recent flooding in the region.

News ID: 76836

Date: 15 April 2019 - 14:56

Two convoys comprising aid collected by the Iraqi popular group arrived in Khuzestan province on Monday morning and afternoon, which then rushed to al-Qadir region in Northwestern Ahwaz near Ahwaz-Andimeshk road to build a water wall to prevent inundation of the city.

Al-Nujaba movement also dispatched its volunteer forces to different regions near Ahwaz and Hamidiyeh cities, including the villages of Halaf and Malihan, to provide flooded people with foodstuff and other humanitarian aid.

Nearly four weeks after the start of the unprecedented heavy rains and floods in Iran, many dams in the country are swelling with rising rivers.

In Isfahan province near the borders with Markazi and Lorestan provinces, Golpayegan Dam was announced full on March 31 and the people residing in the areas near the downstream of the dam were ordered to evacuate their homes and keep distance from areas on the river banks.

In Khuzestan province, Karkheh Dam has been discharging water to manage the huge amount of inflow it is receiving due to heavy rains in Lorestan, Khuzestan, and Kuhkiluyeh and Buyerahmad provinces.

The tragedy started in the four Northern provinces of Mazandaran, Golestan, Semnan and North Khorassan on March 20. Thirty provinces of Iran have been hit by severe weather conditions since then.

Popular rescue teams are formed in all major cities of the country, dispatching units of relief providers to flood-hit areas.

Head of Iran's Forensics Organization Ahmad Shojayee said on Sunday that the number of people killed in the recent devastating floods across the country has increased to 76.

"The number of people killed in the recent floods in Iran has reached 76 after 5 people passed away in flood-related incidents in Khuzestan and another one was killed in Ilam province," Shojayee said.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian Army are utilizing all their power and equipment to help the flood-stricken people in different parts of the country.

A commander of the Army Ground Force Colonel Farzad Azadi said that 3 medical teams have so far been sent by the military unit to Pol Dokhtar, Aq Qala and Ahwaz cities which have been stricken by the recent flods.

Also, the Iranian Army's Air Force sent 12 tons of foodstuff on a C-130 cargo plane to the flood-hit people in Khuzestan.

Meantime, Commander of the IRGC's Airborne Unit Brigadier General Mohammad Rahmani said that his forces and engineers are detecting the flood-hit areas from air, stressing preparedness to increase the number of helicopters in Ahwaz city.

Also, Iranian First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri underlined on Saturday the government's readiness to compensate for the damages inflicted to people in flood-stricken areas.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani started the Sunday public session of the legislature with appreciation of the Armed Forces and governmental bodies for their efforts to help the flood-hit people across Iran.

He, meantime, lashed out at the countries which prevented dispatch of humanitarian aid to Iran.

In similar remarks, Head of Iran's Red Crescent Society Ali Asqar Peivandi announced that Iran has asked for the Red Cross's assistance to flood-hit areas which resulted in non-cash aid to the country by 10 states, adding, "But unfortunately, we have not received even one dollar or euro of foreign aid (in cash) due to the (US) sanctions and blocked foreign currency accounts and SWIFT."

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