Rome, Apr 16 (IANS/AKI): A humanitarian aid flight left from the southern Italian city of Brindisi on Tuesday carrying 40 tonnes of essential human aid for victims of the flash floods that have afflicted much of Iran over the past month, the Italian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The items include relief supplies and hygiene and sanitary kits that have been donated to the Iranian Red Crescent, the statement said.

More than 4,400 villages across Iran were affected by the floods in recent weeks, and 725 bridges have been totally destroyed, according to the Iranian government.

The flash floods have hit 25 of Iran's 31 provinces since mid-March, killing 76 people and causing over $2.2 bn in damages by ravaging infrastructure and inflicting heavy losses on the agricultural sector, according to officials.

Iran has received aid from neighbouring countries and from further afield including France, Germany, Russia and several Gulf states.