it was never over. A seven day snowstorm in February 1972 dropped between 3 to 8 meters of snow (10-26 feet) on the nation of Iran. In 1719, Sweden's forces suffered the loss of their king and were ordered to return home. Were making individual and corporate and political decisions at every levelthat turn our backs on the possibility of such risks. In the northwest, near the border with Turkey, the village of Sheklab and the100 people that lived there were buried.The Iran blizzard remains the deadliest in history. "Virtually all Irans 1,636,000 sq km (631,000 sq mi) landmass vanished beneath a covering of snow that was so deep in places it literally buried thousands of people, many of whom sat tight in houses that turned into freezing death-traps long before a slow thaw revealed the true horror of this extraordinary happening," Devastatingdisasters.com wrote about the incident. Caution statements are a description of a potentially hazardous situation which if not avoided . Troops of the Soviet Army arrived too late to rescue the Soviet citizens who had been trapped. Location: Northwestern, southern, and central Iran. It lasted a week, dumping 10 to 26 feet of snow over 200 villages. A week-long period of low temperatures and severe winter storms began on February 3, 1972, and left a trail of gruesome destruction, with several villages lifeless and inhabitable. Given the right place, the right circumstances, whats the largest loss of life that might result? To put things into perspective as to how deadly this blizzard was, the 2nd most deadly blizzard which took place 2008 in Afghanistan, took the lives of 926 people. To have a snowstorm in the first place is abnormal for Iran, which is known for its dry weather. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com. Required fields are marked *. The winter storms, lasted from 3 - 9 February 1972, more than 10 feet of snow fell across rural areas in northwestern, central and southern Iran.Southern Iran received as much as 26 feet of snow, burying at least 4,000 people. And in places in southern Iran? So no complaining from out there in the Midwest. Revolutions happen, The two atomic bombings from Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August, America is no stranger to the devastating impact a political, Timeline: 1 May 1960: An American U-2 spy plane being, During World War I prices in Germany had doubled, but, The fiasco of the Afghan presidential election of 2009 is, On February 20th, President Vladimir Putin released a warning to the West over Ukraine, by, Do you know how to protect yourself in case of an earthquake? [1] [2] A week-long period of low temperatures and severe winter storms, lasting 3-9 February 1972, resulted in the deaths of over 4,000 people. The storm hit the city of Saskatoon severely and is considered to be one of the worst storms in Saskatchewan's history. There had been a four-year drought in Iran, which came to a spectacular end in February 1972 not with long-awaited rainfall, but. The worst winter on record for Afghanistan was created by a timeline of three events. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. 6 Celebs Who Lost Their Lives Under the Knife. The Great Britain and Ireland snowfall began on 1 Feb 2009. Would the paleo record beat the current one by just an inch or so, or a foot? The blizzard impacted rural areas in northwestern, central and southern Iran with devastating results. In late January, the deadliest blizzard of all time tore through Iran and wiped 200 small villages off the map. With the 7.8-magnitude earthquake hitting Turkey this Monday. In the northwest, center, and south of Iran, storms deposited more than 3 meters (9.8 ft) of snow throughout rural areas. Be careful with heating devices to avoid house fires. The deadliest blizzard on record happened in Iran in February 1972 when 4,000 lives were lost. The second deadliest blizzard on record tore through Afghanistan in 2008, bringing -30 degree temperatures and killing an estimated 926 people. It left a trail of destruction in it's wake; dropping nearly 26 feet of snow in certain places and an average of 8 feet over an area the size of Wisconsin. In the northwest, near the border with Turkey, the village of Shaklabad and its 100 inhabitants were buried. Hurricanes, earthquakes, flooding, fires, and blizzards are all events that are difficult to survive and often results in heavy losses to life and property. Ironically, many of the casualties were recorded in and around the city of Ardakan in central Iran, the second city of Yazd Province, in a region containing several deserts and noted for being one of the most arid parts of the country. An estimated 4,000 people were killed, particularly in the area around Ardakan. --The Iran Blizzard of 1972 is the deadliest recorded blizzard. This was done in the hope that the inhabitants could resupply themselves if they were able to dig a tunnel out of their locations. Those few who survived the -13 degree Fahrenheit temperatures were without water, food, heat and medical aid for days on end at a time whenjust in case these poor people didnt have enough to deal witha deadly flu virus was also moving through rural Iran. The series of 649 avalanches killed over 265 persons and caused large amounts of damage to residential and other man-made structures. Although no snow was spotted on their trip, once the army reached the mountains a blizzard hit them. Tire tragic outcome is perhaps not surprising, for this was the worst blizzard ever recorded in world history. Here are some questions, for you and for me. Highway snowplow operators were on strike but returned to work in the interest of public safety.Two people died in the storm and the cost was $1 million. As the survivors continued their march, an additional 700 died enroute to Sweden. Up to 26-28 feet, depending on the source you consult. From February 3rd through 9, 1972, a week of freezing temperatures and violent winter storms claimed the lives of more than 4,000 individuals. When the storm finally stopped for a 24-hour period, rescue workers tried to retrieve survivors but were largely unsuccessful. In southern Iran, however, the numbers were much more drastic. The storm dumped more than 10 feet of snow over vast swaths of Northern. *Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. During the winter, make sure to listen to weather forecasts, so there are no extreme weather surprises. Damage bill 0-- $8.7 billion, 318 people died, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schoolhouse_Blizzard, White Hurricane map of storms over Great Lakes. In the village of Sheklab, they recovered 18 bodies before another blizzard struck on February 11. The three states saw up to 20 inches of snow, with 62 inches reported in the town of Coburn, West Virginia. Dropping as much as 26 feet (7.9 m) of snow, it completely covered 200 villages. This remains the most costly snowstorm to hit the US. We havent been keeping actual records for all that long. Did Trump Ruin America for Good? I think it was most Lake Huron, Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. In addition to human lives, hundreds of thousands of sheep and cattle were killed, leaving the people who survived without their primary source of income after the storm. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Actually pretty slim. Extremes of unimaginable scale and magnitude lie ahead. If caught outdoors, seek dry shelter as quickly as possible, stay hydrated (do not eat snow), and do small exercises to keep blood flowing. It would be a great project, to memorialize the victims. The costliest storm in recent memory was the 1993 blizzard which affected 24 states and caused $5 billion in losses. The differentiation between a snowstorm and a blizzard is the immense winds that come along with a blizzard, and blizzards are never fun for anyone. Very hard to argue for such expenditures. 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When driving, wear warm clothes, have a full tank of gas, and pack a winter emergency kit that includes shovel, tire chains, blankets, food, and water. The storm stretched from Canada towards Central America, but its main impact was on the Eastern United States and Cuba. Some wind gustsreached 85 mile per hour. How about the rest of Europe? [1], The snowstorm cut off connectivity to hundreds of villages in Azerbaijan; 20 buses transporting people became trapped on both sides of Heyran mountain pass and a bus carrying 30 passengers crashed in the Heyran mountain pass, killing all of its passengers. Millions of people lost power from downed electrical lines during the storm. The earth's ever changing climate, and the potential impact of global warming in coming years, could increase the likelihood of unusual weather patterns in the future. The Iran blizzard of February 1972 was the deadliest blizzard in history, which entered the Guinness Book of Records. Although a mountainous country, Irans climate ranges from arid desert to subtropical and temperatures on the Caspian coastal plain in the north rarely fall below freezing. The snowstorm lasted for a week and dumped more than 9.8 feet of snow across rural areas in northwestern, central, and southern Iran. Theres never any convenient time for any. According to rports the city of Ardakan and outlying villages were hardest hit, with no survivors in Kakkan or Kumar. Forty years ago this week, the deadliest blizzard on record ripped through the lower Caucasus and into Iran, where it left 4,000 people dead. The blizzard hit Iran without any prior warning and caused devastating effects throughout the country. The snow was so bad in one town that it was completely buried. Across rural areas in northwestern and central parts of the country? Horses died, equipment was burned for warmth, and supplies were left behind as the remaining soldiers tried to escape. On February 3-9, 1972, cold temperatures and intense winter storms claimed the lives of approximately 4,000 . Trees were blown over by the wind,boats tied to docks were ripped away, and houses lost their roofs. Coming on the heels of a series of storms in late January, the blizzard of 1972 traveled through western Iran and into Azerbaijan from about February 3 to February 8, dropping up to 26 feet of snowthats a two and half story building worth of snowfalland snapping telephone lines, burying commuter trains, entombing villages, and crushing cars in its wake. Snowfall measured about 26 feet (7.9 m) in the south of Iran, while temperatures dropped to -13 F (-25 C). Lets remember that in weather, as in athletics, records are made to be broken. Where Are Blizzards Most Likely To Occur? These snowstorms can knock out basic services and leave towns and villages inoperable for days at a time. Due to the intense conditions, over 400 people died during the course of the blizzard. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schoolhouse_Blizzard Lethal. Starting on February 3, until February 9, more than 10 feet of snow fell, the worst areas in Southern Iran getting up to 26 feet of snow. Were told that the world record snowfalls for a 24-hour period are held here in the United States. Ten feet of snow. Schools in 15 cities were all closed, as were numerous other events that made news. The rescue workers were forced to evacuate. Among these, the deadliest blizzard to date was the Iran Blizzard of 1972. The blizzard storm was preceded by a week of chilly weather and freezing temperatures. In fact, Southern Iran received as much as 26 feet of snow. Referred to as the Carolean Death March, this storm occurred during the Great Northern War after Sweden lost territory to Russia and decided to move in on Norway. Preparing and following safety suggestions is key to surviving blizzards. This article takes a look at some of the deadliest blizzards in history. ), Public Q&A: These will appear above and in the. Deadliest Snowstorm Blizzard Ever In History I Iran Blizzard I Iran Snowstorm I Infocourtiran snowstorm 1972iran Blizzard 1972#snowstorm #blizzard #deadliest Im so sorry for the people who suffered that blizzard in those times. Your email address will not be published. Here are some statistics. The deadliest blizzard on record happened in Iran in February 1972 when 4,000 lives were lost. The snow buried rails, roads, and many villages, and crushed vehicles beneath its weight. Roadways were blocked and the poor were left without access to hospitals to treat the frostbite taking over their bodies. Furthermore, a flu epidemic had begun to hit rural areas at the start of winter, already claiming several lives. Mother Nature can be one of the most destructive forces on earth, throwing deadly natural disasters in the paths of humans. The storm laid a deep blanket of snow across northwestern, central and southern Iran. By Monday morning, 10 inches of snow had fallen. Up to 26-28 feet, depending on the source you consult. The snow was at least 3 m (10 ft) deep, though some places mainly in southern Iran saw coverage as deep as 8 m (26 ft). The second worst blizzard in history was in 1719 when 3,000 people between Sweden and Norway were killed. It remains one of the deadliest snowstorm in recorded history, claiming roughly 4,000 lives. It lasted about a week, from the 3rd to the 9th of February 1972. So far. The winter storms, lasted from 3 - 9 February 1972, more than 10 feet of snow fell across rural areas in northwestern, central and southern Iran.