TEHRAN, Jan 15 (AFP-NT) - Nine people have died in violent snow and rain storms throughout Iran which also caused millions of dollars in damage, state television reported Sunday. Heavy snow and rain has hit 24 of Iran's 26 provinces in the past four days, including desert areas in southern and central regions of the country for the first time in 40 years. Thousands of hectares (acres) of farmland have been destroyed and 100,000 trees flattened in mainly southern regions of the country. AFP /AA1234/141216 GMT JAN 96

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