MNA – At least seven people have been killed and 85 others wounded in the heavy snowfall and avalanches in Iran's northern Gilan province.

At least seven people died and 85 injured due to heavy snowfall and an avalanche incident that hit Gilan province in northern Iran, according to reports.

The heavy snowfall in Gilan, with a height of up to 1.5 meters in some areas, created serious problems for the residents of at least 52 cities of the province, such as power cuts in almost all areas including the provincial capital of Rasht.

The power access of 256,000 people in Gilan was cut, but the Energy Ministry has managed to restore the access for some 50,000.

The snow started on Sunday evening in the western part of the province and spread to the central and eastern parts on Monday and Tuesday.

Despite earlier predictions, the Crisis Management and roads officials were surprised as many major routes, including the Tehran-Rasht Freeway, were blocked and people were stranded in the snow-blanketed roads for more than a day.

Power, water, gas, and internet cuts have also exacerbated the situation for the people of this province.

Now the weather forecasts say it will get warmer as of Wednesday, but that will increase the risk of flooding and avalanche in mountainous areas.