Iran Earthquake Death Toll Reaches 41,000
The earthquake death toll in Bam has
reached 41,000 as thousands of bodies are recovered from the rubble. Officials
fear that the final count may reach 45,000.
Measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale the earthquake struck the Iranian city on Friday 26 December with devastating impact. Over 30,000 people were injured and around 75,000 left homeless.
Emergency Relief
Islamic Relief's Emergency Response Team in Bam has been busy distributing over $200,000 worth of relief goods. Hundreds of families have received essential aid items including blankets, hygiene kits and cooking stoves.
Islamic Relief (IR) is also providing daily breakfast for over 200 homeless families living in tents in Green Camp, for one month. IR has recruited a team of local staff from amongst the earthquake survivors to help in general maintenance and cleaning the camp.
Tent School
IR has set up and furnished a tent school for children in Green Camp, which includes a childcare centre and play facilities. The school was set up in partnership with the local Society for Protecting the Rights of the Child (SPRC), which was established by Shirin Ebadi, the 2003 Nobel Prize winner.
The school was officially opened by Ms. Dalton, the daughter of Richard Dalton the British Ambassador to Iran.
Camp 'Razmandagan'
Although families were initially reluctant to leave their properties and enter the camp, Green Camp is now full. Working closely with the Esfahan provincial government, Islamic Relief is setting up an additional camp for 300 homeless families.
Although Razmandagan camp is still under construction 60 families have already moved in.
IR will manage the new camp, distribute relief goods and co-ordinate the provision of food, water and sanitation facilities and electricity with partner organisations. IR also plans to establish a school tent for the children of the new camp.
Afghan Refugees
Razmandagan camp will also house some of the estimated 2000 Afghan refugees who survived the earthquake. Islamic Relief has been focussing on the needs of this vulnerable minority community, many of whom lost their refugee ID cards in the quake. Without their ID cards it is difficult for them to access food, water and general aid.
Humanitarian Disaster
The most deadly earthquake the world has seen this decade struck in the Kerman district in south-east Iran. Entire families were crushed to death in their beds. City authorities buried the victims in mass graves as quickly as possible. Around 80% of the buildings in Bam have been reduced to rubble or badly damaged, including two of the city's main hospitals. The remaining hospitals have been overwhelmed by the numbers of injured.
Islamic Relief Emergency Response
IR's Emergency Department is coordinating its work with the Iranian Red Crescent and UN OCHA to ensure an effective response. Islamic Relief has many years of experience in responding to earthquake disasters, including earthquakes in Iran in 1990 and 1997. CAFOD, a UK-based charity, has pledged =A3100,000 towards IR's emergency relief work.
Urgent appeal
Islamic Relief needs your support to help the thousands who have been affected by this disaster. Donate now to the Iran Earthquake Appeal to ensure that desperately needed food, shelter and medicine reaches the stricken people as quickly as possible.
To donate by phone please call one of the following numbers:
UK : + 44 121 622 0622
USA : +1 818 238 95 20
France : +33 149 171717
Germany : + 49 221 722 0799
Holland : + 31 206 160 022
Belgium : + 32 22 198 184
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Italy : + 39 34 703 41183
Worldwide: +44 121 622 0622