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Avalanches kill 10 in mountainous area near Iran’s capital

A screen grab from footage broadcast on Iranian state tv Irib
A screengrab from footage broadcast on Iranian state television Irib on Dec 26, 2020 shows a rescue operation in Tehran. (Image: AFP/Irib News Agency)
(Updated: )

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TEHRAN: A series of avalanches in Iran killed 10 people in a mountainous area north of the capital, state television reported Sunday (Dec 27).

The report said rescue teams were searching for a number of missing people after the avalanches struck in four different areas. State television aired footage of emergency crews using a helicopter to search for those missing and injured.

The incidents happened on Friday following strong winds and snowfall a day earlier. The Alborz mountain range where the avalanches struck is popular on weekends for its hiking and climbing.

Deadly avalanches are a rare phenomenon in Iran. In 2017, two avalanches killed 11 hikers.

Source: AP/zl