Iran Mountain rescue needed near Tehran
At least 10 climbers have died and a number of others have disappeared after a blizzard caused a series of avalanches in a mountain range to the north of the Iranian capital of Tehran.
Numerous climbers have been missing since Friday, when two deaths were recorded, and the number of those not accounted for has been rising since then as more families have gotten in touch with the authorities.
So far, there have been nine confirmed deaths in the mountains and another who died in hospital after being rescued, according to Mehdi Valipour, head of emergency operations of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, speaking to state broadcaster IRIB.
Rescue work has continued on Sunday, with at least seven climbers known to still be trapped.
The searches are being carried out in the peaks of Tochal and Kolakchal, on the Alborz range, a popular destination for climbers and skiers near the capital.
The adverse conditions, with strong winds and heavy snow, have been wreaking havoc not only in this area but across Iran, with authorities also searching for seven crewmembers of a ship which capsized in the Persian Gulf on Friday.
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