The cascading failure of check dam systems during the 28 July 2022 Emamzadeh Davood flood in Iran

On July 18, 2022, an unexpected rainfall and flash flood struck the Emamzadeh Davood village in northwestern Tehran, the capital city of Iran, claiming the life of at least 23 people. In this brief communication, we report results from a recent investigation carried out by field surveys and remote sensing data, highlighting the role of anthropogenic factors and catastrophic failures in a series of check dams in intensifying the impacts of the 2022 Emamzadeh Davood event.