TEHRAN— Hundreds of historical buildings and aging structures have been damaged by heavy rainfalls and flash floods in Sistan-Baluchestan province, the provincial tourism chief has said.The summer monsoon rains and floods have caused 32.5 billion rials ($108,000) of damage to the historical monuments of the southeastern province, Alireza Jalalzai said on Sunday.On Tuesday, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting reported that an average rainfall of 26.5 millimeters was recorded in the desert city of Zahedan, the capital of Sistan-Baluchestan, equaling 30 percent of annual precipitation in the city.The highest volume of rainfall, tantamount to 65 millimeters, was registered in the city of Konarak.The collective province—Sistan in the north and Baluchestan in the south—accounts for one of the driest regions of Iran, with a slight increase in rainfall from east to west, and an obvious rise in humidity in the coastal regions.

In ancient times, the region was a crossword in the Indus Valley and the Babylonian civilizations.The province possesses special significance because it is located in a strategic transit location, particularly Chabahar, which is the only ocean port in Iran and the best and easiest access route of the middle Asian countries to free waters.The vast province is home to several distinctive archaeological sites and natural attractions, including two UNESCO World Heritage sites, namely Shahr-e-Soukhteh (Burnt City) and Lut desert.ABU/AFM