Flash floods kill 30 in northwest Iran

TEHRAN, Iran – The death toll in flash floods triggered by heavy rains in Iran’s northwestern province of eastern Azarbaijan jumped to 30 as rescue teams continue to discover bodies, state TV reported Saturday.

The report said that there are at least seven people still missing in the cities of Ajabshir and Azarshahr. An earlier report Saturday morning said 17 people had been killed.

The East Azarbaijan Governor’s Office of Crisis Management said that “16 bodies were found in Ajabshir city and 14 in the city of Azarshahr.”

The report quotes Director General of Crisis Management in East Azarbaijan province, Khalil Saei, as saying that Red Crescent workers, air ambulances, police and army forces have been deployed to assist in search and rescue efforts.

In September, at least 10 people were killed in flash flooding in Tehran and Hormozgan provinces.