1972 Iran blizzard

The Iran Blizzard of February 1972 was the deadliest blizzard in history.[1] A week-long period of low temperatures and severe winter storms, lasting 3–9 February 1972, resulted in the deaths of approximately 4,000 people.[2] Storms dumped more than 3 metres (9.8 ft) of snow across rural areas in northwestern, central and southern Iran.[3]

Southern Iran received as much as 8 metres (26 ft) of snow, burying at least 4,000 individuals. According to contemporary reports by the newspaper Ettela'at, the city of Ardakan and outlying villages were hardest hit, with no survivors in Kakkan or Kumar. In the northwest, near the border with Turkey, the village of Sheklab and its 100 inhabitants were buried.[4][5]

Meteorological progression

A series of snowstorms at the end of January had already accumulated over western Iran. Passing from Azerbaijan to Iran between February 3 and 8, the blizzard left 7.9 meters of snow, which is equivalent to a 2 and-a-half story building.[1] The wind and snow resulted in the breakage of trees and power lines. The snow buried rails, roads, and many villages, in addition to crushing vehicles beneath its weight.

At the height of the storm, authorities estimated that a region including all of western Iran was beneath the snow for a week.[1] The supply of food and medicine was exhausted and the temperature plummeted to -25°C, which rendered the survival of the snowstorm's victims uncertain. Furthermore, a flu epidemic began to hit rural areas at the start of winter, already claiming several lives.[1]

On February 9, during a 24-hour lull, rescue helicopters were able to reach part of the region. Where there were villages, first-aid workers found large snowdrifts; when dug up, frozen corpses were often uncovered. In the village of Sheklab, they recovered 18 bodies before another blizzard struck on February 11. The rescue workers were forced to evacuate.[1]

Army helicopters left behind two tons of provisions, in the form of bread and dates, scattered on snowdrifts around villages. This was done in the hope that the inhabitants could resupply themselves if they were able to dig a tunnel out of their locations. However, few people were able to benefit from this. Out of Sheklab's 100 inhabitants, no one survived.[1]

See also

References
  1. Sweetland Edwards, Haley (7 February 2012). "40 Years Ago, Iran Was Hit by the Deadliest Blizzard in History". Mental Floss. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  2. "NOAA News Online (Story 334b)". noaa.gov. Archived from the original on 19 October 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
  3. 1972 Blizzard: Iran's and World's Harshest blizzard in the history | Sky and Weather Network (in Persian)
  4. "Missing Put at 6,000 in Iranian Blizzard". The New York Times. 11 February 1972. p. 4.
  5. "Thousands Missing in Iran Snow". Oakland Tribune. 10 February 1972. p. 1.
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