At least 12 people were killed and 38 others reportedly missing as flash floods triggered by heavy rains in Golestan, Khorasan and Khorasan Razavi provinces of Iran, country’s state TV reported Saturday.
Ali Bakhtiari, spokesman for the country's disaster agency, said the number of people killed in the floods rose to 12 in the three northeastern provinces, according to the TV website irinn.ir.
Iran's Red Crescent chief, Mojtaba Ahmadi, told state TV that it's difficult to know the exact death toll because the flooding took place over the weekend, when many Iranians take to the riversides for picnics.
Ahmadi added that there are 38 people missing in Khorasan Razavi province. He said six ambulances, three rescue vehicles and an air ambulance have been deployed to the area to provide aid.
The country's meteorological organisation says the rainfall was expected to continue until next Friday.
In April, at least 30 people were killed in flash flooding in eastern Azarbaijan, reports AP.