Worst natural disaster damage caused by floods

The managing director of the Interior Ministry’s Research and Coordination Department, Abbas Jazayeri, said on Thursday that although 86 percent of Iran’s urban population lived on earthquake faults, 70 percent of natural disaster damage was caused by floods, the Iranian news agency, IRNA, said on Friday. Flood damage amounted to about $629,000, Jazayeri said. Although Iran’s average rainfall was only 250-270 mm, as opposed to a world average of 650-800 mm, the country’s geographical location meant that even light rains triggered floods. Compounded by inadequate building safety measures and unfettered construction on river banks, flood-related damage had increased, Jazayeri said. To counter the damage caused by drought$620,000 had been earmarked for development, $857,000 for facilities, and $572,000 for special flood-prevention measures, the report said.