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Initial estimates suggest losses from flash floods in southern Iran amount to nearly $180 million.

Initial estimates suggest losses from flash floods that affected areas in south and southeast Iran earlier this week could amount to nearly $180 million.

Estimates provided by local authorities in four Iranian provinces affected by the floods that hit on Tuesday showed that losses inflicted on roads, homes and agriculture could reach 50 trillion rials, according to reports published in Iranian news agencies on Thursday.

Governor of Hormozgan province Mehdi Dousti said that the floods had inflicted losses worth 19 trillion rials (over $66 million) to farming, residential and transportation infrastructure in the province which is located on the Persian Gulf coast.

In neighboring Kerman province, losses were estimated at 10 trillion rials with reports showing the worst-hit regions were those located to the south of the province.

Similar amount of damage was reported in the provinces of Fars, in south Iran, and in Sistan and Baluchestan, on the southeastern border with Pakistan, said the reports.

Farming and livestock units in the four provinces had suffered the brunt of the flash floods which swept through sparsely populated regions in south and southeast Iran.

Iran’s Vice-President Mohammad Mokhber said on Thursday that the government has plans to quickly offset the impact of the floods in those regions.

Speaking in a meeting with local authorities in Kerman, Mokhber said that the government would allocate the funds needed to compensate people and businesses affected by the floods in a first Cabinet meeting planned for the weekend.

Iran’s National Disaster Monument Organization said on Wednesday that a total of nine people had been killed in the floods in the four provinces affected by the crisis.