Heavy rain along with thunderstorms and hail pummeled parts of central China's Hunan Province on Monday, flooding low-lying areas, causing damage to houses, and forcing many residents to be evacuated.
Among the worst affected areas was the province's Mayang Miao Autonomous County, which saw almost an entire month's worth of rain in the space of just 12 hours, with an average rainfall of 77 mm falling from 20:00 Monday to 08:00 Tuesday.
According to local emergency management authorities, more than 200 houses had sustained varying degrees of damage in the deluge, while around 210 residents were relocated to safer areas.
While the rain has since stopped in the county, authorities are actively working to restore infrastructure and clear debris to help restore order and allow residents to return as quickly as possible.
Local authorities in other parts of Hunan acted swiftly to evacuate affected residents and clear flooded roads as the severe weather hit.
In the Yuanling County of Huaihua City, over 540 people from areas deemed most at-risk were evacuated after local authorities initiated an emergency response for flooding on Monday evening. No casualties have been reported so far.
Meanwhile, in the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, the heavy rainfall caused over 10 centimeters of floodwater to accumulate in low-lying areas of the Huayuan County, forcing over 30 residents to be relocated in the county.
Local authorities quickly mobilized to clear key routes and alleviate the flooding in the worst-hit areas, with traffic resuming on most main roads as of 23:00 Monday.
Residents evacuated, homes damaged after heavy rainstorms hit Hunan
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
