Region | Iran

Toll from Cyclone Gonu climbs

Twelve people are confirmed dead in flooding caused by Cyclone Gonu in Iran, while in Oman - where the toll is 49 - search continues for 27 still missing.

  • Agencies
  • Published: 00:00 June 9, 2007
  • Gulf News

  • Residents of Wadi Hatat travel by foot and vehicles to get supplies after the road became passable.
  • Image Credit: Hadrian Hernandez/Gulf News
Image 1 of 5
12345

The death toll from Cyclone Gonu rose to at least 61 on Saturday when Iranian state media reported 12 deaths from the storm.

Residents in southern Iran reported massive devastation in some small desert villages, with one man saying every house in his hometown had been swept away by floods. The storm killed at least 49 in Oman - with more than two dozen missing.

"So far 12 people in Sistan-Baluchistan and Hormuzgan have been killed and 9 have been injured due to floods," Mehr reported, quoting emergency services official Farzad Panahi.

Iranian officials earlier reported five people were killed. They said the rare hurricane also damaged roads, bridges and houses in the provinces of Hormuzgan, Kerman and Sistan-Baluchistan.

The floodwaters drove out the residents of Shahrestan and Kahir villages, both near the port city of Chabahar, according to state radio. A Kahir resident said the whole village was washed away by the floods.

"Some 120 families lived here. Not a single house is standing now. People have no refuge," he said. "There is no water, no electricity and no food," the man said as he burst into tears. "No help has reached us."

Officials in both Iran and Oman have said conditions were gradually returning to normal.

In the UAE, 10 sailors went missing after their boat sank in Omani waters, said Mousa Murad, the Director of Fujairah Port. He said 11 other sailors were rescued.

Salvage operations have begun in Fujairah and residents returned to their flooded homes. In Ras Al Khaimah, the ban on fishing continues, crippling supplies.

  • Rate this article
  • Average reader rating (0 votes) 0 Stars
Tools

Emailing an article to friend is a simple way to share a news item. Your friend will receive an email with your name and email address as well any personal message you choose to send.

The information you provide on this page will not be used to send unsolicited emails.

This service is not intended to encourage spam, and action may be taken against individuals who maliciously enter personal details of another individual.

Share this article

Related Articles

  1. Taps go dry in Muscat

    Taps go dry in Muscat

  2. Expat's body fished out from wadi

    Expat's body fished out from wadi

    Expat's body fished out from wadi

  3. Cyclone heavily damages Muscat roads

    Cyclone heavily damages Muscat roads

    Huge craters and mini waterfalls take place of cyclone-hit Muscat roads

  4. Turtle nesting beach escapes storm fury

    Turtle nesting beach escapes storm fury

  5. Muscat residents wake up to devastation

    Muscat residents wake up to devastation

  6. Floods isolate Iran's desert villages

    Floods isolate Iran's desert villages

    Floods caused by cyclone isolate Iran's desert villages

  7. Gonu floods Iranian villages

    Gonu floods Iranian villages

More from Iran

  1. Tehran softens position on nuclear fuel deal

  2. Lula calls for diplomatic push with Iran

  3. Ahmadinejad in Brazil to build nuke, business ties

  4. Iran begins air defence war games

All articles in Iran

More from Region

Gulf News
Popular in News
News Editor's choice