Relentless rainfall since March 20, 2025, has unleashed catastrophic floods and landslides across Gilan province, northern Iran, exposing the devastating consequences of governmental neglect. The disaster, peaking on March 22, has battered cities and rural regions alike, isolating communities, demolishing infrastructure, and plunging residents into chaos. While the regime scrambles to project control, the mounting toll reveals a stark reality of incompetence and indifference.
In the Ashkorat and Rahimabad regions, floodwaters obliterated sections of the Rahimabad-Eshkorat road, severing access to over 20 villages. Two individuals remain missing after their vehicle was swept away near a swollen river—an incident barely acknowledged by state outlets. In Siahkal and Rudsar counties, some 200 rural roads lie blocked by landslides and flooding, stranding thousands. Gilan’s governor, Asadollah Abbasi, admitted, “Two bridges have been destroyed, and communication routes to around 200 villages are cut off,” a rare concession that downplays the broader collapse of connectivity.
Watch and judge how locals in Sistan and Baluchestan Province expose the #Iranian regime's inaction and #hypocrisy amid devastating floods in that region. pic.twitter.com/gEObkark1J
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) March 5, 2024
Rudsar has borne a heavy brunt, with power outages crippling the city as floodwaters engulfed neighborhoods. In Siahkal, landslides have entombed homes in mud, yet rescue operations remain sluggish, hindered by inaccessible routes and the regime’s disorganized response. Rasht, the provincial capital, reels from submerged streets and disrupted services, with one resident lamenting, “The water rose so quickly, and no one came to help.” Rural hamlets near the Alborz mountains face similar isolation, with electricity severed and aid scarce.
The regime’s long-standing neglect of infrastructure has turned Gilan’s natural beauty into a scene of despair. Decades of mismanagement have left roads fragile, drainage systems inadequate, and rural areas defenseless against predictable seasonal rains. While state media touts rescue efforts, the reality—blocked roads, missing citizens, and shattered lives—paints a damning picture of a regime more adept at excuses than action.