Iranian General Vows Provision of All Services Needed to Help Flood Victims
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Ataollah Salehi made assurances that the forces would do everything in their power to provide relief for the flood-stricken people in the northern provinces of Mazandaran and Golestan.
“We all have gathered in Golestan Province at the behest of Leader of the Islamic Revolution (Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei) and we would supply any facilities needed to help flood victims,” Major General Salehi said at a gathering of military commanders in Golestan on Sunday.
"The Armed Forces have already made a lot of efforts over the past days but with renewed emphasis by the commander-in-chief (Ayatollah Khamenei), all the commanders were present today in this province to help the flood victims in a special way,” he noted.
The top general went on to say that the commanders have special authorities that can carry out everything needed to improve the status of flood victims without any formalities and procedures.
In a message released on Saturday night, Ayatollah Khamenei ordered Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri to dispatch more equipment and facilities to the flood-hit people in Golestan and Mazandaran.
Heavy rains have affected over 56,000 people in at least 70 villages in Golestan and more than 200 others in Mazandaran, according to local officials.
The flooding has claimed the lives of five people and destroyed hundreds of homes over the past few days.
High water has forced evacuations of several small farm communities as all farmland has been swamped, local reports said.
Footage from both provinces showed massive flows of water running over roads and streets, with cars being washed away, people struggling to walk, and traffic being disrupted.
