Flood havoc

Extreme weather events said by experts to be linked to climate change have caused heatwaves in some countries and unusual heavy rain in others. Heavy flooding has inundated the state of Kentucky in the US and provinces in Iran in the last few days following heavy rainfall.

53 killed in Iran amid heavy rainstorms

Heavy rain in Iran that began on Wednesday has set off flash floods and landslides in 21 of the country’s 31 provinces, killing at least 53 people, heavily damaging hundreds of villages, cutting off access to major roads and forcing the evacuation of an ancient city, officials said.

With the death toll expected to rise – at least 16 people are still missing – the floods are the deadliest water-related episode in a decade.

The national crisis centre said heavy rainstorms with the risk of flooding would continue until tomorrow, and issued a nationwide warning to stay away from riverbanks and valleys.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi placed governors nationwide on high alert and ordered the emergency relief agencies to prepare for the possibility that reservoirs and dams would overflow, official media reported.