Fatemeh Asgarinia/ Saeed Darvishi (IRCS)

On May 29, a 45-year old woman drowned in the Haraz River in the northern province of Mazandaran, bringing Amol Red Crescent relief workers to the area. After 19 days, her body has not yet been located. Rescuers' efforts to find the body of the drowned woman have failed so far. This is just one of the bitter incidents that happened for tourists and travelers along the roaring rivers of the northern cities of the country over the past year. Such incidents are far more numerous than drowning in the sea.

 “Unfortunately, the number of disasters in roaring rivers is more than the sea and this indicates the negligence and unfamiliarity of the people with the seemingly calm rivers of the region,” said Gholam ali Fakhari, Managing director of Mazandaran Red Crescent provincial branch. “The number of drownings at sea is decreasing year by year, but unfortunately the number of drownings in rivers is increasing. People who are camp on the banks of rivers and in moments of neglect, big incidents happen to them.”

In Mazandaran, one of the most touristic provinces of Iran, 35 relief posts of the Red Crescent arc ready to provide relief services to the affected people at sea, forest, road and mountain.

Furthermore, 11 makeshift coastal posts have been set up for the summer season so that rescuers can reach the scene of disaster as soon as possible when an incident occurs in the sea.

Rivers victims in Guilan

In Guilan, the other northern province of Iran, the Red Crescent aid workers and rescuers are standby in nine counties. The notable matter in Guilan is increasing the number of victims who lost their lives in rivers just like what is the case in Mazandaran.

Since the beginning of the Iranian new calendar year which began on 21 March 2021, rescuers have carried out six difficult missions in roaring waters, says Amir Abbas Gachkar, Manager of Relief and Rescue division in Guilan Red Crescent provincial branch.

He says: “These incidents often happen either due to selfie pictures taken by people or swimming in a river that they did not know the depth of.”

Guilan has 44 Red Crescent relief posts and branches where 21 posts are active for road, coastal area, mountain and air relief operations. Regarding summer trips to Guilan, the Red Crescent has set up nine other relief posts which serve the travelers temporarily.

The report was originally published in shahrvandonline.ir which is affiliated to the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS)