Ilam on Alert for Autumn and Winter: From El Niño Opportunity to Flood Control

Ilam - Forecasts of the El Niño phenomenon and the likelihood of above-normal rainfall in Ilam have put the province's relief and service agencies on full alert.

Ambassador Arjan - Group of Provinces: Ilam is located on the slopes of Zagros and in a semi-arid region, and its rainfall, especially in autumn and winter, plays a vital role in providing water resources and the prosperity of agriculture in this region. However, in some years, these rainfalls exceed the normal limit and can become a threatening factor for the cities and villages of the province.

This year, based on the predictions made about the El Nino phenomenon, Ilam province is expected to witness more than normal rainfall. A phenomenon that can both promise to compensate for the lack of water resources and also be considered as a warning for the occurrence of possible floods.

In this regard, dredging channels and tables, cleaning accident-prone areas and preparing relief equipment have become one of the main priorities of the province in recent years in order to minimize possible damage caused by rains and maintain the safety of citizens.

The experience of floods in the past years in Ilam province has shown that neglecting preventive measures can cause irreparable damages. For this reason, coordination between executive bodies and their full preparation is of particular importance.

In the meantime, the role of people in reducing atmospheric risks is undeniable, and their cooperation with the authorities' warnings can prevent many accidents from occurring; Accordingly, the citizens are asked to provide a better management of the upcoming situation by observing safety tips, avoiding traffic on the roads and providing timely information.

Undoubtedly, the timely preparation of the executive and service providers, along with the people's support, can minimize the damage caused by more than normal rainfall and provide a safe passage through the cold season of the year.

More than normal rainfall on the way to Ilam

Referring to the predictions made about the El Nino phenomenon, the meteorologist of Ilam said: According to the latest prediction models, Ilam Province is expected to witness more than normal rainfall in the fall and winter season.

Ehsan Ahmadinejad added: This phenomenon can both promise to compensate for the lack of water resources and also be considered as a warning for possible floods. Because the increase in rainfall in the foothills can lead to the formation of severe runoff and overflowing rivers.

Referring to the necessity of equipment preparation, this meteorological expert clarified: dredging of channels and tables, cleaning of accident-prone areas and preparation of rescue equipment are among the measures that should be taken before the onset of heavy rains in order to minimize possible damages.

Ahmadinejad, referring to the experience of floods in the past years, noted: Neglect of preventive measures in the past has caused irreparable damages, and for this reason, coordination between the executive bodies and their full preparation is of particular importance.

Emphasizing the role of the media in providing information, he added: Timely publication of warnings and safety recommendations can help increase people's awareness and reduce atmospheric risks, and in this regard, meteorological warnings are published continuously.

In the end, this meteorologist emphasized: We also ask the citizens to provide better management of the upcoming conditions by observing safety tips, avoiding traffic on roads and providing timely information, so that with mutual cooperation, we can pass the cold season of the year without incident.

The need to prepare Ilam municipality for the upcoming rains

In a conversation with Mehr's reporter, the head of Ilam Municipality said, referring to the forecast of more than normal rains in the province, Ilam Municipality has started its preventive measures months ago due to the meteorological warnings about the possibility of heavy rains in the fall and winter season.

Ali Norainejad added: dredging the roads and tables of the city, cleaning the accident-prone areas and preparing rescue equipment and machinery are among the measures that have been put on the agenda in order to minimize possible damages in the event of heavy rains.

Referring to the past years' experience of floods, this official stated: "Unfortunately, in recent years, we have witnessed the flooding of roads and the destruction of some flood walls in the city, and this experience shows that preventive measures should be taken seriously before the rains begin."

Pointing to the identification of accident-prone spots, Noorani-nejad noted: the spots that have been flooded in the past have been identified, and for each of them, the necessary forces and equipment have been provided to be present at the place during the rains and solve the problem.

Emphasizing the need for coordination between the agencies, he added: The municipality alone cannot solve all problems and cooperation between ABFA, Electricity, Red Crescent and other service providers plays an important role in managing critical situations, and in this regard, coordination meetings are held continuously.

Referring to the problem of sewage in some parts of the city, Noorani Nejad said: In some parts of the city, the sewage pipes do not have the necessary capacity and during the rains, the sewage is left in the streets.

In the end, this official emphasized the full readiness of the municipality to deal with the upcoming situation and said: We ask the citizens to refrain from traveling on the flood roads during heavy rains, and if they see any flooding, to inform them through the 135 and 137 systems so that the municipal forces are dispatched to the place as soon as possible and there is no problem for the citizens.

Regional water preparedness of Ilam for possible flood management

The CEO of Ilam Regional Water Company, in a conversation with Mehr reporter, stated: Considering the mountainous topography of the province and the forecast of heavy rains caused by the El Nino phenomenon, preventive measures have been intensified to manage the flood crisis.

Sadegh Alimardani added: The mountainous structure and steep slopes of Ilam province cause the rapid formation of runoff during heavy rains, and this feature increases the sensitivity factor of sudden floods.

The CEO of Ilam Regional Water Company stated: In order to reduce flood risks, this company has put a series of measures, including dredging and cleaning priority rivers and channels, especially seasonal rivers in the city limits, on the agenda.

Alimoradi pointed out: According to the regulations, the actions related to the roads and waterways within the city limits of Ilam are carried out with the coordination of the municipality, and the responsibility for cleaning the roads and waterways outside the city limits rests with this company.

Pointing to the continuous monitoring of water resources, he added: daily visits to the state of dam reservoirs in the province, the amount of water storage and their input and output conditions are carried out continuously so that in the event of a change in weather conditions, the necessary management decisions can be made and implemented in the shortest possible time.

At the end, Alimoradi emphasized the company's full preparedness and said: The meetings of the crisis management committee will continue continuously and we ask the citizens to pay attention to weather warnings and refrain from approaching and stopping in the boundaries of rivers, canals and waterways, especially during heavy rains.

Ilam crisis management is on full alert

Director General of Crisis Management of Ilam Governorate, in a conversation with Mehr reporter, referring to the arrival of autumn and winter rains, said: "The crisis management headquarters of the province is ready to face the upcoming weather conditions by activating all its capacities, and the necessary coordination has been established between the member agencies."

Emphasizing the importance of preventive measures, Ali Mohammad Pakdelnejad added: The experience of the past years has shown that the early identification of sensitive points and the removal of existing obstacles play a decisive role in reducing losses, and for this reason, this issue has been prioritized in the headquarters' plans.

Referring to the diversity of natural hazards in the province, Pakdelnejad stated: Due to its geographical location, Ilam faces a wide range of hazards such as floods, earthquakes, droughts, and dust, and specialized programs have been developed for each of them.

Director General of Ilam Crisis Management pointed out: One of the main axes of preparation is to strengthen cooperation between relief and service providers so that in case of an accident, relief can be provided quickly and accurately.

Referring to the role of the people in crisis management, he added: Citizens' awareness and preparedness complements the efforts of the authorities, and people who take warnings seriously can prevent many accidents.

In the end, Pakdelnejad stressed: We ask citizens to avoid unnecessary traffic on high-risk routes on rainy days, and if they see any danger, inform the relevant authorities in time so that we can pass the cold season of the year without incident through mutual cooperation.

Considering the forecast of rains beyond normal and the experience of floods in the past years, the full preparation of service and relief devices along with accompanying people can minimize the damages caused by the upcoming weather conditions and provide a safe passage through the cold season of the year.