Iran is facing a heartbreaking environmental double blow: years of crippling drought followed by sudden, destructive flash floods in the west.
Sunday’s Devastating Downpour
On Sunday, the small western town of Abdanan received 52 mm of rain in just 45 minutes – an extreme event for a region that has seen almost no rain for years. By the end of the day, the total reached 73 mm.
- Roads washed away
- Homes filled with mud
- Bridges collapsed
Thankfully, no deaths were reported in the town of about 3,000 people.
Red Flood Alerts Issued
On Monday, Iran’s weather service issued:
- Red flood warnings for 6 western provinces
- Orange alerts for 18 of the country’s 31 provinces
Why Drought Makes Floods Worse
After years of below-average rainfall (down 85 % this year), the soil has turned rock-hard. When heavy rain finally falls, almost none soaks in – it all runs off instantly, creating dangerous flash floods.
Dams are at record lows, wells are drying up, and parts of Tehran have already faced water cuts.
Emergency Cloud-Seeding and a Stark Warning
On Saturday, Iran flew its first cloud-seeding mission of the year over the shrinking Lake Urmia, trying to force rain from the sky.
Just days later, President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that without major rainfall soon, Tehran may have to:
- Start strict water rationing
- Evacuate some neighbourhoods
Iran is trapped between two extremes: land desperate for water, and sudden storms that bring destruction instead of relief.
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