Iran snow cuts power to nearly 500,000 homes Published duration 3 February 2014

image copyright AFP image caption Roads have been made impassable in some areas north of Tehran

Heavy snow in northern Iran has left around 480,000 homes without power and some towns and villages cut off.

An official in Mazandaran province, on the Caspian Sea, said the winter storms were the worst in 50 years, with two metres of snow falling in some areas since the weekend.

All schools in Mazandaran will be closed on Tuesday, state media reports.

The head of Iran's Red Crescent said around 11,000 people had been rescued after getting stuck in heavy snow.

"Some 3,800 people have also been settled in emergency shelters," Pir Hossein Kolivand was quoted as saying by the official Irna news agency.

Irna reported that 79 people had been taken to hospital as a result of the bad weather.

image copyright AFP image caption The capital, Tehran, has also had an unusual coating of snow in recent days

image copyright AFP image caption For some people, the cold weather had brought a chance to play in snow

image copyright AFP image caption Temperatures are forecast to fall to -8C in Tehran in the coming days

Troops with the Revolutionary Guard have been delivering supplies to people trapped in both Mazandaran and neighbouring Gilan province, and helping with evacuations.

In many areas of the provinces, roads have been left unusable.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has ordered all government departments to provide extra help to those affected.

Related Topics Iran