ERBIL — A whole family of three from the Kurdish city of Marivan in Iranian Kurdistan, who had traveled to north of the country, were found suffocated due to a gas leak at one of the resort units on Tuesday.

Two days earlier, a family of five, including a man, his wife, and their children, died inside their house due to a gas leak in the east of Lorestan province, as confirmed by local officials. Neighbors reported to the city’s media agencies that two of the children, aged 12 and 10, were found dead wearing school uniforms.

Inadequate gas appliance maintenance checks are the main reason for such tragic incidents. However, staggering economic crises and increasing underdevelopment of public infrastructure in Iran, especially in Kurdish-populated regions like Kurdistan province, contribute to the steep rise in such cases simply because families have lesser financial capacity to keep up with house utility maintenance.