Heavy rainfall has caused widespread flooding in the southwestern provinces of Golestan and Mazandaran, Iran. At least 45 people have been killed and many more injured as flash flood water and mud damaged thousands of buildings.

A state of emergency has been declared by officials as more rainfall is expected in the coming days. Up to 56 villages near the Dez and Karkheh rivers may need to be evacuated as water needs to be released from two dams. Officials reported that in the next five days around three billion cubic meters of water will flow into dam reservoirs in Khuzestan some of which will also need to be released creating more flooding.

In the neighboring province of Lorestan, at least eight villages and parts of the town of Dorud were already being evacuated.

Rescue workers have been deployed to aid the worst affected, and the area remains at a state of high alert preparing for more storms.