Coll 28/10 ‘Persia. Diaries; Meshed Consular Jany 1931 – May 1940. Khorassan Political 1934 – May 1940. Khorassan Fortnightly Reports’ [‎114r] (230/1301)

by the drivers concerned to the Vice Consulate ana
settled amicably by the personal intervention of the
Vice-Consul and his assistant.
54* The .^ahidan branch of the Imperial hanic: of Iran
was closed on iarch gath and the Manager, i r*..acaonald
left with his wife the following day for England via
Tehran.
3IoX.a *.
55. jistan is at present, ana for toe next two months
li .ely to remain, entirely tf Ken with the flood
problem. The highest total rainfall recorded in any of
the la^t seven ye&rs Is 2.4.0 Inches, while the average is
rather lasa than 1.50 inches. oince the beginning of
January 1939 raore than 5 inches have Iready fallen•
These abnormal conditions h« ve e^Umded into Afghanistan
with the resulu ti^ t the river HeHaand, which until the
winter snows in Afghanistan begin to melt in earnest
snould be fairly low, is already in full flood, and no one
can foresee what the next two months w 11 bring forth.
It is ironical that Iran which hts been continually
complaining of the inadequacy of its share of the Helmand
water should this year oe faced wiih such t problem. The
local situation is aggravated by the existence of a large
bridge on the 3ibul-^&hidan road 5 miles south of 2ebul
which in recent years has bean const, uc ted over the main
overflow channel of Uist&n *s share of the Helmand waters
Known locally &s the Mourab. This bridge will not pass
the present flood water which on the upper side is already
some 2 feet higher than the level of the surrounding
country. In their efforts to save the oriage and with
it 38bul # s communications with the outside world, the
authorit.es have let more water into the subsidiary
canals than they can contain, and as a result every day
brings fresh reports of burst banks ana widespread
inundations. The whole countryside hes oeen mobilised
to strengthen the banks of the main c-' rials ana there is
still a h.pe that the present flood water may subside
before the full spring floods arising from the melting
snows arrives. If they do not, Sis Can, and with it the
town of abul,is likely to be faced with disaster* Floods
have already reached to within a mile of the town and the
troops are tidying to save their new barracks. Whether
steps will be taken in time to save the rest of the town
remain5 to be seen.
(Information has since been received that the Nourab
curst its banks on pril d&h ana that road communications
with £acul are now cut.)
56. The heavy rains have caused the collapse of a
number oi houses the domed roofs of wuich were not in a
proper st fe of repair. In one such house a police
constable was severely injured and 2 of tie children were
Killed. Orders have since been given for the demolition
of all unsafe buildings.
HI,iJ,Alh i.
57. Here as elsewhere heavy and continuous rains have
done a lot of drmage and the road in the bazaar, which
incidentally is &lso the main river bed, has twice been
flooded. Cultivators however are uelighCea after several
years of drought.
5b. /hile visiting Hirjand early in ^arch j*. pakri vau,
Coyennor General of meshed, paid a visit to the Consulate
,<alata. He would apparently ty be quite prepared to
buy