LONDON- President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday inspected damage caused by flash floods in northern Iran and promised compensation to all those affected, as the nationwide death toll from what he called an "unprecedented" natural disaster reached 26.
Rouhani, accused by critics of mishandling the crisis, took several cabinet ministers with him to Golestan Province, whose governor was dismissed on Saturday amid public outrage over his absence from work. He had been abroad when the disaster hit.
At least 26 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds suffered injuries in the floods, officials said on Wednesday.
In a country more accustomed to drought, Rouhani said the floods, caused by torrential rain, had affected 25 of Iran's 31 provinces and that the scale of the disaster had overwhelmed emergency services in some areas.
"The government will use all means and will compensate all those who have sustained damages to their houses, businesses and farms," Rouhani was quoted as saying by the state media.
Rouhani’s hardline rivals have accused the government of doing too little, too late. The head of the judiciary, Ebrahim Raisi, said on Tuesday that officials who mishandled the disaster and caused the death of civilians could face prosecution.
Tens of thousands of people have been displaced, and thousands put in emergency shelters provided by the government, state media said.
Iran is celebrating the Nowrouz new year holidays, a time when many families travel around the country, but police asked people to avoid unnecessary journeys.
National Iranian Gas Company said its pipeline network across the country had not been affected by the floods and that domestic and industrial consumers should not be concerned.
(Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin Editing by Gareth Jones) ((bozorgmehr.sharafedin@thomsonreuters.com;))
