A Human Catastrophe in the Making!

Nazy Kaviani: A human catastrophe of the most devastating dimensions is taking place in Sistan and Baluchestan provinces of Iran. Earlier this month, Gono, a tropical storm hit Oman and swept through Sistan & Baluchestan, creating floods and havoc, destroying roads, restricting transportation into and out of the area, disrupting daily life, leaving the area vulnerable to diseases. In the wake of Gono, 350,000 people are now threatened with Malaria and Cholera, as well as other diseases and disasters. Drinking water is at best available for only 30% of the population.

Management of emergency assistance has always been a problem in Iran, judging from the horrific conditions of earthquake victims of recent time. With the disappearance and obstruction of roads in the area, however, even the slow emergency assistance cannot reach the region to be of use. Dissemination of news about the tragedy has also been scant and weak, as the state-owned Iranian radio and television (IRIB) have mostly kept quiet about the extent and depth of the disaster, and the imminence of more complications, escalating by the minute.

In fact many people inside Iran are not aware of the details and proportions of this unfolding tragedy.Independent journalists have started a spontaneous campaign to raise awareness about the calamity and to ask other Iranian journalists and webloggers all over the world to raise disseminate news about this, a tragedy that if unmanaged is threatening all of Iran with the spread of Cholera and Malaria. Please read the related material and spread the news. More information about how to help is being researched and will follow soon.

Read:Fars News Agency: Cholera and Malaria threaten the lives of 350,000 people hit with the storm in the region;

Karim Arghandehpour’s Weblog: Bani adam azaye yek yekdigarand;

Abbas Abdi, Shargh Newspaper, Sokoote khabari, chera? ;

Seyed Abolhasan Mokhtabad’s Weblog: Keh ta nagah ze yekdigar namanim;

Hanif Mazroee’s Weblog: Sistan o Baluchestan ra daryabim;

Taravat Website: Ma va Gono

Reza Bavafa Weblog: Seil e jonoob e ostan;

Radio Zamaneh: Khatare Shioo e vaba va Malaria dar manateghe toofanzadeh

This article was published in Iranian.com this morning. If you are a blogger, please spread the word, and leave me the link to your post so that it can be shared with the journalists in Iran. Help in any way you can. Thank you.

Related news:

Quake measuring 5.9 on Richter scale jolts central Iran