The recent flood in several provinces of Iran caused serious damage to many historical sites as well as houses and farms.

The deputy of the Cultural Heritage Organization, Mohammad Hassan Talebian, told IRNA on Wednesday that due to heavy rain, the cracks in Naqshe-Rostam site are widening and the site is in crisis.” According to some reports, the water has entered Naqshe-Rostam and several Achaemenid tombs.

Naqshe Rostam is 6 km away from Persepolis, but fortunately, due to its anti-flood canals, Persepolis site was kept safe from the flood.

Also, after the flood passed the Shiraz Gate, Talebian said that this historical site was not damaged but “some of the historical sites in the city of Shiraz were destroyed or damaged.”

He added: “We had flooding in Vakil Bath and Vakil Market.

The Sasanian Dynasty sites in Fars province were also damages and are facing a serious threat from rain and flood.

Golestan and Mazandaran provinces

The recent flood started in the northern provinces of Iran. According to Talebian, the historical bridge of Aq Qala and parts of the great wall of Gorgan which date back to the Sasanian empire have been seriously damaged.

The damages to these sites have been reported from 10 to 50 percent.

Khuzestan Province

Several ancient sites in Dezful, Shushtar and Shush are facing a real threat from the heavy rain and flood. Salasel Fort and water mills of Shushtar are closed until further notice due to heavy rain. Apadana castle in Shush is also closed. Two years ago, another flood in Khuzestan caused damage to Haft-Tappeh and Chogha Zanbil sites.

Historical sites in several other provinces including Sistan and Baluchistan, Kermanshah, Lorestan, and Isfahan have also been damaged by the flood.