Snow Fury: the deadliest storm in history, killing 4000 lives

• Snow Fury: the deadliest storm in history, which destroyed the lives of 4000

45 years ago, 3 February 1972, Iran started one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the country. Came from the Caucasus, the blizzard raged for six days. The state with the dry climate, where snow usually falls only in mountainous areas, of course, were not ready for such a raging elements. Snowstorm, killing more than four thousand people, is considered the most deadly in history. For comparison, the most destructive tornadoes that occurred in Bangladesh in 1989, has claimed 1300 lives.

By February 9, when the onslaught of snow dropped significantly, in the north-west and center of the country's snow depth reached three meters, and in the south the snowy dunes rose eight meters. Hundreds of settlements were cut off from the outside world: a blizzard cut short the phone lines and power lines and blocked roads.

As a result, more than a hundred villages have been completely destroyed. People who had taken refuge in the houses, killed in the collapse of the roof, or performs buried alive. In villages Kakkan Kumar and there was not a single survivor.

A huge number of victims is due primarily to the fact that rescuers could not come to the rescue. Almost zero visibility not allowed to move even a helicopter. Many died of frostbite and disease without the necessary medicines. The air temperature in those days dropped to -20 degrees Celsius. And after the element has receded and the snow began to melt, exhausted yet caught up with the Iranians and powerful flooding ...