Gonu storm hitting southern Iran

Started as a very intense hurricane of category 5 (the most devastating) in Indian Ocean, cyclone Gonu lost its power and became a hurricane of category 1 approaching Oman by Tuesday, June 5, 2007 and came to southern borders of Iran by Thursday, June 7^th, 2007 as a tropical storm.

Since it created extensive damages with human casualties in neighboring Oman (49 people killed) Iranian authorities evacuated people from the potentially dangerous areas. The hurricane eventually affected around 560,000 people from the southern provinces of Iran, mainly Sistan and Baluchestan, Kerman and Hormozgan.  

According to the report of the Ministry of Health, the death toll was 13 people and the first estimate of damage was 2 Billion Rials (216 m$). 80% of roads were destroyed, 70-90% of agricultural land was under water while residential property received damage between 5-70% in different areas. 

After few days of intensive raining and floods, the major concern of authorities shifted to growing risk of communicable diseases including water born diseases, poor sanitation and risk of malaria. Following the rapid assessment, around 90 health teams in the field were assigned for providing preventive and curative health services to the affected population. 110 water tankers and 250 fixed water tanks were used to provide safe water and almost 10,000 latrines were installed in affected areas with the support of Housing Foundation. 

 

WHO Country office maintained close contact with the national and provincial authorities through this period. In addition to extending technical assistance for needs assessment and effective response, WHO donated 6 sets of satellite communication equipments to the Ministry of Health and Medical Education with the purpose to ensure reliable communication between mobile health teams working in the affected areas and for establishing an effective surveillance system to control possible epidemics.