Iran earthquake toll soars, as do aid offers

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, December 28, 2003

Iran earthquake toll soars, as do aid offers

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The Iranian government confirmed on Saturday that 20,000 people had been killed in Friday's earthquake in the southeastern city of Bam, while more countries have expressed condolences over the mishap and pledged aid to Iran.

The Iranian state TV Saturday quoted the Interior Ministry as reporting that 20,000 people had been confirmed killed and 30,000 injured in the devastating earthquake, which hit the city of Bam in Kerman Province early Friday.

But a government official noted that "rescue workers have found more bodies. The figure is now more than 20,000," and he put the number of injured at more than 50,000.

Earlier, Governor of Kerman Province Mohammad Ali Karimi said the disaster had already claimed 5,000 to 6,000 lives.

The strong earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.3 on the open-ended Richter scale, rocked the city of Bam at 5:28 local time (0158 GMT) early Friday, Tehran University's Geophysics Institute said.

Several aftershocks, including one up to 5.3 degrees on the Richter scale, further battered the city after the 6.3 quake.

Tehran Radio reported on Saturday that the government was making intensive efforts to rescue those still trapped under debris.

Rescue teams were swamped by the huge numbers of corpses being pulled out of the rubble while dozens of Iranian military aircraf twere mobilized to evacuate the injured.

Thousands of injured people were transferred to nearby hospitals aboard helicopters and more than 20,000 others are still under the rubble, the radio said.

Cars and trucks loaded with piles of bodies were also flowing into the cemetery of the quake-stricken town of Bora, southeast of Bam, witnesses said, adding that many corpses were abandoned in a corner of the cemetery, with grave diggers overwhelmed by the rush.

Iran's Red Crescent Society is pooling facilities nationwide to aid the quake victims, and it has already sent all its potential facilities to the quake-affected region.

Crisis management headquarters have been formed in Tehran and Kerman. Nearby provinces have been mobilized to urgently dispatch their relief aid to Bam.

Several consignments of tents, blankets, canned food, bread, clothing and medicine were being sent to the region.

Iran has appealed to international organizations and foreign governments for aid for the quake-affected region, including sniffer dogs and equipment to search for victims buried under the rubble.

US rescue team to depart for Iran

Los Angeles County Fire Department will send a rescue team to Iran on Saturday to offer assistance to victims in the region devastated by a 6.3-magnitude earthquake Friday.

Seventy-five members of the county's Urban Search and Rescue Team were scheduled to travel to Iran by military cargo planes Saturday, said Roland Sprewell, inspector of the county fire department.

The rescuers will depart from the Marsh Air Force Base and stay in Iran for at least 10 to 15 days, Sprewell said.

He also said that the team will take all their equipment used in search and rescue operations to Iran, in addition to medical supplies and food for victims of the earthquake.

It was the first international assignment for the team that was sent to help after the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and the Sept. 11 terror attacks on the WorldTrade Center in New York City and Pentagon in Washington.

The crew is one of two teams in the US to be sent to Iran after the temblor claimed an estimated 20,000 lives and injured tens of thousands more. The other team was being sent from Fairfax County,Virginia Sprewell said.

South African rescue team leaves for Iran

A 69-member South African rescue team would be leaving on Saturday to lend assistance to Iran following a devastating earthquake there on Friday.

Ian Scher, CEO of Rescue SA, said that the rescue team was made up of members from the non-government organization Rescue SA, the South African National Defense Force, South African Police Services dog unit, several Gauteng emergency services and Netcare 911.

The massive earthquake hit south-east Iran, destroying the historic fort city of Bam. More than 20,000 people have reportedly died.

Scher said as soon as the call for assistance went out on Friday night, rescue services volunteers started organizing with support from the SA Department of Foreign Affairs.

"The department has contributed a sizable amount of money towards the rescue operation, although more funding is required," Scher said.

Scher predicted that the entire operation would cost about 1.2 million rand (about 200,000 US dollars).

Although transport had not been finalized by late on Saturday morning, Scher said they hoped to leave by Saturday evening at the latest. "We'll get there, I don't know the meaning of the word no," he said.

He said the team, which includes four dogs, would go to the seriously damaged Bam region.

The South African government Saturday expressed its shock and sadness at the death of over 20,000 people following an earthquake on Friday.

In his message of support to the Iranian government, President Mbeki said "our thoughts and prayers are with the government and people of Iran during this trying moment."

"Please accept our sincere and heartfelt condolences from the government and the people of South Africa to the government and people of Iran," concluded President Mbeki in the statement.

Hungary offers emergency aid to Iran

The Hungarian government has offered an emergency aid worth 5 million Forint (23,000 US dollars)to Iran following a devastating earthquake in the country, local media reported Saturday.

The offer of the emergency aid was made on Friday. Also in the day, Hungarian President Madl Ferenc extended condolences to his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Khatami .

The Hungarian government also made an offer to send a rescue team of 12 people and four sniffer dogs to the Iranian embassy here, and is waiting for Iran's response.

A strong earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale struck central Iran's Kerman province Friday morning. According to the Iranian government, over 20,000 people have been killed in the disaster, but the figure could rise.

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