Satellite Image of Bam After the Earthquake

Intellegence Resource Program ^ | 12/27/03 | NA

[prisoner6]

Satellite Image of Bam, Iran Earthquake

This one-meter resolution satellite image of Bam, Iran was taken by Space Imaging's IKONOS satellite on Dec. 27, 2003, just one day after a catastrophic earthquake struck the historic city. The full image shows widespread destruction as a result of the 6.7 magnitude earthquake that leveled 70 percent of the buildings according to news reports.

Clearly seen in the center of the image (see thumbnail below) is the 2,000-year-old citadel, considered the world's largest mud fortress. According to news reports, much of the medieval fortress crumbled like a sand castle when the quake hit. The citadel was a popular tourist attraction and is on the register of the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and has been a World Heritage site.

Bam is located about 1,000 km (620 miles) southeast of Tehran.

Photo Credit: Space Imaging

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http://www.fas.org/irp/imint/bam_quake.htm
Maintained by Steven Aftergood
Updated December 29, 2003

[prisoner6]

Here's the direct link to the full sized picture...it's a biggie.

Bam, Iran

Or click the smaller picture in the article.

The mud fortress was interesting to me as well as a series of round, cone like structures near the top. They kinda look like small volcanos but probably man made. I'm wondering what they are. Ovens...metal working furnaces...wells????

FWIW here's a picture of the fortress before the quake.

And here's a link to some others.BAM pics

Pretty impressive for something built out of mud a couple of millenia ago.

prisoner6

[McGavin999]

Thanks for posting that, it's incredible the amount of damage.

[texasflower]

Thank you for the link to the before pictures. This is so sad, all of that beauty and time, gone in minutes.

[DefCon]

Do you see the citadel in the big picture?
Where is it?

[Cultural Jihad]

Repaired the hyperlink to the larger image:
http://www.fas.org/irp/imint/bam_quake122703.htm

[Dianna]

placemarker

[DefCon]

I think I found it.
Pretty much dead center judging by the scroll bars.

[DefCon]

"...Pretty impressive for something built out of mud a couple of millenia ago..."
- - -
While it is a tradgedy, it is apparently is not as old as you think it is.
from your "other bam pics link":
:...most of what remains was built during the Safavid period (1502-1722)..."

[prisoner6]

Yuppers...that's it. It's in the small pic as well.

prisoner6

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Thanks for the larger hyper link.

How shocking.

All gone in a matter of seconds. It was so beautiful, and had stood for all that time.

Of course, the devastating loss of life is heartbreaking (just read it could reach 50,000!) but this is an awesome display of the power of this quake. Puts it into perspective.

[Waco]

Madcow hillary has not once been there to say, "I fee yo pain."

[Elsie]

The mud fortress was interesting to me as well as a series of round, cone like structures near the top. They kinda look like small volcanos but probably man made. I'm wondering what they are. Ovens...metal working furnaces...wells????

I think they may be access holes to an underground aqueduct: they tend to follow the water course.

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while there IS massive destruction, it also appears that many of the structures did NOT fall down--the newer looking, flat roofed places near the bottom of the picture.

[prisoner6]

I think they may be access holes to an underground aqueduct: they tend to follow the water course.

That makes lots of sense. I know htey do have underground tunnels from several lakes feeding water supplies to towns and for irrigation.

I noted the same thing with the buildings at the bottom as well.

prisoner6

[NYer]

If you ever go to Italy, a must visit is the town of Alberobello in Puglia. The houses are built with cone shaped roofs, as is the church.

Brief description:
The trulli, limestone dwellings found in the southern region of Puglia, are remarkable examples of drywall (mortarless) construction, a prehistoric building technique still in use in this region. The trulli are made of roughly worked limestone boulders collected from neighbouring fields. Characteristically, they feature pyramidal, domed or conical roofs built up of corbelled limestone slabs.

For a more historic perspective on Alberobello, go here:

TRULLI

[Pagey]

bttt

[null and void]

My God.