Death toll from Iran's southern port blast rises to 46 as over 1,000 injured
The death toll from a massive explosion that ripped through Shahid Rajaee Port in the Iran’s southwestern city of Bandar Abbas has exceeded 40, while more than 1,000 people have sustained injuries.
Director general of the crisis management organization at Hormozgan province, Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, announced on Monday that the catastrophic blast has claimed the lives of 46 individuals so far.
Out of those injured, a total of 1,072 people have been discharged, while 138 remain hospitalized, he added.
‘Port activities normal’
Hassanzadeh noted that all activities at Shahid Rajaee Port are going on normally, noting that services are being provided as of 10 a.m. local time (1830 GMT) on Sunday to prevent any disruption to the freight missions or loading and unloading operations.
Minister of Interior Eskandar Momeni, appointed by President Masoud Pezeshkian to oversee the site and the ongoing relief efforts, said on Sunday night that the cause of the tragic incident is under investigation, and that a committee is collecting evidence related to the explosion.
He assured the Iranian public that those responsible would be held accountable. Momeni also said that rescue and firefighting teams responded promptly to extinguish the fire and mitigate its spread.
During a cabinet meeting on Sunday, First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref stated that the investigation into causes of the blast is being carried out very seriously.
He pledged that the details of the incident would be communicated to the Iranian nation as soon as they are available.
For his part, Emergency Department spokesman Mojtaba Khaledi announced the deployment of 50 rescue, relief, and medical teams at Shahid Rajaee Port. He also said that 31 helicopter sorties have been conducted to assist in extinguishing the fire at the port.
In reaction to the heartbreaking incident, the Iranian cabinet declared Monday a nationwide day of mourning.
