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Iranian authorities on Tuesday warned of a second sandstorm which could hit Tehran after five people were killed in the city by freak weather only a day prior. Record winds and a huge sandstorm on Monday had plunged Tehran into darkness for about fifteen minutes during rush hour, and had forced several thousands to run for cover.
On Tuesday, the official IRNA news agency said that the death toll due to Monday’s weather had risen to five. “One of the casualties, who was hospitalized after being hit by debris, lost his life due to the severe injuries”, it said.
The 110-120 kilometers per hour winds on Monday leveled trees and swept away other heavy materials on the streets as people were heading home from work. The sandstorm had the fastest winds to hit Iran for 50 years. The press criticized forecasters for failing to predict the inclement weather. The weather also disrupted a ceremony for the departing national football team, heading for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.President Hassan Rouhani cancelled his planned speech for the departing team.
The head of Tehran’s Weather Forecasting and Warnings Unit, Ahad Vazifeh, said that his team had informed the “relevant authorities” about the sandstorm. He added that they were not able to predict the exact timescale and wind speeds. Several media outlets had blasted his department for failing to provide adequate warning.Mohammad Ali Aziz-Oghli, Tehran’s Chief Forecaster, warned of a second sandstorm to hit Tehran in two days, around 3:00 p.m. local time on Tuesday, adding that it won’t be quite as strong. He however warned people to stay indoors, IRNA reported.
According to electricity officials, Monday’s storm knocked out the power supply in at least 50,000 homes in the city. The inclement weather also caused property damage to public and private buildings and telecommunication towers.
