Saturday June 9, 6:43 PM

*Twelve killed, 40,000 trapped in Iran flash floods*

Flash floods caused by cyclone Gonu have killed 12 people, injured nine
and trapped 40,000 others in southeastern Iran, news reports said Saturday.

"Based on the latest information gathered, 12 people were killed as the
result of floods in Hormozgan and Sistan-Baluchestan provinces," the
head of Iran's emergency services, Farzad Panahi, was quoted as saying
by the semi official Mehr news agency.

He added that more than 3,000 livestock had perished in the southern
port town of Jask in Hormozgan province.

The Fars news agency, meanwhile, quoted another official as saying that
a total of "40,000 villagers are trapped by water in Hormozgan province."

Helicopters have been dispatched to the affected areas, the official said.

Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards Air Force said on Friday it had
delivered 40 tons of food to the rain-hit port city of Chabahar in
Sistan-Baluchestan province.

Cyclone Gonu bore down on Oman early Wednesday, creating havoc and
leaving at least 49 people dead and another 27 missing before veering
towards Iran.