State TV: Flash floods kill 12 in northwest Iran

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - The Friday flash floods triggered by heavy rains killed 12 people in the country's northeast, Iranian state TV reported Saturday.

The TV website irinn.ir quoted the spokesman for the country's disaster agency, Ali Bakhtiari, as saying the number of people killed in the floods rose to 12 in three northeastern provinces - Golestan, Khorasan and Khorasan Razavi.

Iran's Red Crescent chief, Mojtaba Ahmadi, told state TV that it's difficult to know the exact death toll because the flooding took place over the weekend, when many Iranians take to the riversides for picnics.

Ahmadi added that there are 38 people missing in Khorasan Razavi province.

Ahmadi said six ambulances, three rescue vehicles and an air ambulance have been deployed to the area to provide aid.

The country's meteorological organization says the rainfall was expected to continue until next Friday.

In April, at least 30 people were killed in flash flooding in eastern Azarbaijan.