Tasnim � Iranian Energy Minister Reza Ardekanian said the country is experiencing a year with the highest amount of annual precipitation during the past half a century.

Speaking at a televised program on Saturday night, Ardekanian said the average precipitation in the country during the first 15 days of the new Iranian year (started March 21) hit 57 millimeters, 19 times more than the corresponding period last year.

In the current Iranian year, Iran has received the highest amount of rainfall over the past 50 years, the minister added.

He also noted that the huge rainfall in only 20 days has filled up 40 percent of the total capacity of the country�s dams.

Pointing to some advantages of the recent flooding in Iran, Ardekanian said while 340 cities faced water shortage last year, the rainfall has resuscitated 44 lagoons across the country.

�Considering the recent droughts in the country, we did not even dream that our lagoons would be filled with water like this,� he said, noting that soaked wetlands and filled lagoons would also mean a remedy for dust pollution in the country.

The minister went on to say that the rainfall has also enabled the hydroelectric power plants in Khuzestan Province to generate electricity with maximum capacity.

Record spring rainfall that has battered Iran in the past weeks caused serious flooding in many areas, mainly the provinces of Golestan, Lorestan, Khuzestan, Fars and Ilam, forcing thousands to leave their homes.