OFFICIALS OFFER CONFLICTING FIGURES ON THE TOLL FROM THE QUAKE
TEHRAN-Kerman, 27 Dec (IPS)
More than 24 hours after the strong earthquake that destroyed the old Iranian city of Bam in the southeastern Province of Kerman, the authorities have not been able to provide an official toll of dead and wounded.
While the official news agency IRNA quoted some local officials as having refuted certain media claims, including one by Iran Press Service on the toll from the Friday earthquake, Health Minister Ahmad Pezeshkian confirmed that out of the city’s 80.000 to 90.000 inhabitants are dead or wounded, with more than 5.000 transferred to hospitals in other cities.
Director of Iran’s Natural Disasters Headquarters Abbas Jazayeri told reporters that the injured have been taken to hospitals in Khorasan, Fars, Isfahan and Yazd provinces. Jazayeri said some of the injured had undergone outpatient treatment, and others have been hospitalised.
"According to Health Ministry’s statistics, 65 to 70 per cent of the population in Bam are either dead or wounded, some in critical conditions", the Minister told the independent news agency ISNA.
The Interior Ministry also estimated 20,000 dead and 30.000 injured, but two leading rescue officials said the number could be twice as high.
But Deputy Governor General of Kerman for Political and Security Affairs Mohammad Farshad said in an interview with IRNA on Saturday that certain media reports on tolls from Friday’s deadly quake in Bam were not correct, insisting that the figure is much less than what they announce.
"The figures are not correct; no precise statistics on the number of casualties are available yet but it seems that number of the victims is less", he said, adding 7,000 of the injured have thus far been carried to hospitals in Kerman and the nearby provinces.
Based on the latest surveys, Bam has a population of 100,000, Mr. Mohammad Ali Karimi, Kerman’s Governor said the bodies of 2,500 of the quake victims were buried as late as 12:00 pm on Friday, adding that the burials have been continuing throughout Saturday.
He further stressed that 300 planes and helicopters have carried out rescue operations in the quake-stricken city.
As international relief is arriving from across the world and people are complaining from the authorities slow reaction to the needy ones, reliable sources said tents, blankets, clothes, foodstuff and warm garments as well as sniffer dogs, life-detectors, ambulances, heavy and light machinery are urgently needed for the quake victims.
Rescue teams from several dozen countries had started arriving at the quake scene, the United Nations announced, and a 40-tonne UN cargo aircraft carrying aid equipment was due to leave on Sunday.
The transport plane was to fly from southern Italy carrying with 40 tonnes of tents, tarpaulins, blankets, generators and water purification tablets, donated by Italy and Norway.
The international Red Cross in Geneva appealed for almost 10 million euros (12 million dollars) to provide aid to some 200,000 people over a six-month period.
"There is not a standing building in the city. Bam has turned into a wasteland. Even if a few buildings are standing, you cannot trust to live in them", Interior Minister Hojjatoleslam Abdolvahed Mousavi Lari told reporters Saturday.
Thousands of residents of the city spent Friday night outdoors, sleeping under blankets in temperatures close to freezing. A few hundred slept in tents erected by relief workers, and more tents arrived Saturday.
Men and women were seen slapping their own faces and beating their chests in an Islamic ritual of mourning.
"The disaster is far too huge for us to meet all of our needs," President Mohammad Khatami said. "However, all the institutions have been mobilised".
Red Crescent Society, Natural Disasters Headquarters, the Islamic Republic Army, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, police and Ministry of Health are busy rendering relief services to the victims in the quake-hit areas.
"Many people braving the night's cold and darkness searched in vain their ruined houses in search of relatives buried under the ruins", one local journalist told Iran Press Service, complaining from the absence of order and coordination in providing essential services.
The quake destroyed much of Bam's historic medieval fortress complex of towers, domes and walls, all made of mud-brick, overlooking a walled Old City, parts of which date back 2,000 years. Television images showed the highest part of the fort — including its distinctive square tower — crumbled like a sand castle down the side of the hill, though some walls still stood.
ENDS IRAN EARTHQUAKE UPDATE 271203
http://www.iran-press-service.com/articles_2003/Dec-2003/iran_earthquake_toll_271203.htmAre there US-based relief agencies we can donate money or goods to in order to help? I saw that the International Red Cross was appealing for money, and that the LA firefighters were headed over to help, but no one other than them to contact.