30 die in Iran's unprecedented floods

TEHRAN - At least 30 people died in the flash floods that ravaged most parts of Iran over the last days, Iranian Legal Medicine Organization (ILMO) said in a statement on Wednesday.

The announcement was made by Mehrdad Ali Bakhshi, deputy head of the organization, according to ILMO website.

Out of the dead people, 19 were from southern Shiraz city, five from northeastern Caspian Sea Golestan province, two from western Lorestan province, and each of four provinces of Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Kermanshah, and Semnan had one death report, Bakhshi was quoted as saying.

Over the last week, unprecedented snowstorm and flash floods swept northern, western and central Iran, when people were out celebrating the Iranian New Year started on March 21.

According to local media reports, hundreds were also injured while scores of families were relocated due to the destructive force of the floods and landslides.

The flood also caused losses of hundreds of millions of dollars to the agriculture sector, and damage to the residential rural areas.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has put all officials on full alert as widespread flooding continues in many parts of the country.