How many died in the 2003 Bam earthquake in Iran?
2003 Bam earthquake
The 2003 Bam earthquake struck the Kerman province of southeastern Iran at 01:56 UTC (5:26 AM Iran Standard Time) on December 26. The shock had a moment magnitude of 6.6 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX ("Violent"). The earthquake was particularly destructive in Bam, with the death toll amounting to at least 26,271 people and injuring up to 30,000. The effects of the earthquake were exacerbated by the use of mud brick as the standard construction medium; many of the area's structures did not comply with earthquake regulations set in 1989.
Colors of Memory
Colors of Memory is a 2008 Iranian film directed by Amir-Shahab Razavian based on the events of the 2003 Bam earthquake. This film's original name is "Minā-ye Shahr-e Khāmoush" (مینای شهر خاموش), which may be translated as "The Minā of the Silent Town".
2008 Sichuan earthquake
Over 69,000 people lost their lives in the quake, including 68,636 in Sichuan province. 374,176 were reported injured, with 18,222 listed as missing as of July 2008. The geohazards triggered by the earthquake are thought to be responsible for at least one third of the death toll. The earthquake left about 4.8 million people homeless, though the number could be as high as 11 million. Approximately 15 million people lived in the affected area. It was the deadliest earthquake to hit China since the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, which killed at least 240,000 people, and the strongest in the country since the 1950 Chayu earthquake, which registered at 8.5 on the Richter magnitude scale. It is the 21st deadliest earthquake of all time. On November 6, 2008, the central government announced that it would spend 1 trillion RMB (about US $146.5 billion) over the next three years to rebuild areas ravaged by the earthquake, as part of the Chinese economic stimulus program.
2008 Qeshm earthquake
The earthquake occurred at 3:00 pm local time and was followed by up to seventeen aftershocks. The main shock lasted at least 30 seconds. According to the BBC, fatalities from the tremor were limited to Qeshm Island; 30 people were injured. Qeshm Island reported 15 injured; its homes were constructed from earthquake-resistant material. The earthquake was felt throughout southern Iran, causing slight to moderate damage. Mercalli ratings of IV ("Light") were assigned to Ajman and Ra's al Khaymah, and intensity III ("Weak") occurred in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah. Doha in Qatar also reported the earthquake.
2010 Hosseinabad earthquake
The earthquake killed eleven people and injured over 100. Damage was concentrated in about 20 villages in the area of Fahraj. Casualties were reported in the villages of Chah Qanbar, Tak Seyfeldini, and Sarze Rigan. Telephone service was interrupted and power outages were reported in the affected area. The intensity in Bam was IV ("Light") and no damage was caused. It could also be felt in the province of Sistan-Baluchestan. According to the director of the Red Crescent of Iran, it is difficult to deliver humanitarian aid to some villages in the affected mountainous area. Some hard-to-reach areas were inaccessible due to being blocked by landslides.
Gholamreza Takhti
In 1962, a terrible earthquake occurred in Bou'in-Zahra in western Iran, killing over 12,000. Takhti was deeply touched by the suffering. Already one of Iran's biggest stars, he began to walk one of the main avenues of Tehran, asking for assistance for the victims. He inspired other champions to follow in his footsteps, and thousands gave to alleviate the suffering.
2011 Van earthquakes
Among the buildings collapsed by the earthquake was the six-story Bayram Hotel, which was hosting journalists and rescue workers. A cameraman for the Cihan News Agency had left the hotel just prior to the earthquake and said that some journalists trapped in the rubble in the building had sent text messages to colleagues asking to be rescued. The building, which had been renovated the previous year, was forty years old. A Japanese aid worker who had traveled to Turkey for the October earthquake relief work was reported to have been pulled alive from the rubble of the Bayram hotel but later died of his injuries at a hospital. Residents were angry with authorities for not having closed the building after it suffered cracks and a damaged elevator in the large earthquake a month earlier.
2005 Zarand earthquake
The region of Zarand is close to an active fault, known as the Kuhbanan fault in the north east of the city. Its trend is northwest-southeast and its length is 160 km. Zarand has been hit by several quakes in the last 70 years, with the oldest recorded one going back to 1933. On December 21, 1977, the area was hit by a 6.2-magnitude earthquake leaving 521 dead and 3 villages completely destroyed. On December 26, 2003, another devastating earthquake happened in Bam, 200 km southwest of Zarand, which is in the same province.
Shadi Sadr
Following the 2003 Bam earthquake, she helped organise a relief effort to collect food and supplies for women and children in the area of Bam.
Sadr was the defense lawyer of several human rights defenders, including Shiva Nazar Ahari, a member of the Committee of Human Rights Reporters, who was arrested on 14 June 2009.
Mona Zandi Haghighi
Mona Zandi put together a book called "You Were so Kind!", a collection of children’s letters and drawings based on the 2003 earthquake in Bam, Iran. According to Iranica Online, the earthquake had “the highest casualty rate and the most profound social impact in the recorded post-1900 history of devastating urban earthquakes in Iran.”
Mercy Malaysia
In 2003, MERCY Malaysia responded to the needs in Baghdad, Iraq and sent its first team in January. In February, MERCY Malaysia launched its China Humanitarian Fund and sent a team in response to the 6.8-magnitude earthquake which struck a remote area of Xinjiang province in northwest China, near the border with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
In April 2003, the MERCY Malaysia team were mistaken for hostile forces and was attacked in Iraq, where Dr Baba Deni and Dr Jemilah were both injured in the incident. May 2003 saw MERCY Malaysia responding to international appeal from Sri Lanka after the republic suffered its worst floods and landslides in 60 years. The six-person team was deployed to southern Sri Lanka to render critical medical and humanitarian aid to flood and landslide victims in Ratnapura, located about 100 km south-east of Colombo.
The year closed with another mission sent to Kerman, Iran following the Bam earthquake which occurred on 26 December 2003. The nine-person team -including Dr Bubble, a hospital clown doctor- provided medical and psycho-social support to the earthquake survivors, and was stationed at the former Italian Field Hospital in Baravat, 5 km from Bam.
2010 Damghan earthquake
A more recent damaging event that also occurred near the Alborz mountain range was the 1953 Torud earthquake, in which more than 900 perished. Like that shock, the 2010 Damghan event took place in a rural area that exposed relatively few villages to strong shaking. It occurred at 11:53 local time in the north-central desert region of Iran on a fault that dipped 78° to the northwest. Fault motion occurred on a NE-SW striking fault that was almost pure left-lateral strike-slip. A Mercalli intensity of VII ("Very strong") was observed in Kuh Zar and the nearby villages of Tuchahi, Kelu, and Shimi. In Hoseynian, Moalleman, Satveh, and Torud, the intensity was VI ("Strong"). Some surface cracks and fissures were present near Tuchahi and Kelu villages, but no significant surface faulting occurred.
Humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake of a magnitude of 9.3 was prompted by one of the worst natural disasters of modern times. On 26 December 2004, the earthquake, which struck off the northwest coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, generated a tsunami that wreaked havoc along much of the rim of the Indian Ocean. Particularly hard-hit were the countries of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. About 230,000 people were killed, tens of thousands more were injured, and 1.7 million became homeless and displaced.
2003 Bam earthquake
Reaction to the help and rescue from the U.S. was mixed. It was well received by physicians and civilians at the scene, however, in contrast to this support, IRNA, the state-controlled radio in Iran, accused the United States of illegal interference in internal matters. Khatami, while not criticizing U.S. aid, had expressed regret about the politicization of this event. Interior Minister Abdolvahed Mousavi Lari accepted U.S. assistance but rejected Israeli assistance due to the political tensions between the two countries and Iran's lack of recognition of the state of Israel.
Bam 6.6
Bam 6.6 is a documentary about the 2003 Bam earthquake in Iran. The film, subtitled "Humanity has no Borders", was produced and directed by Jahangir Golestanparast.
2013 Iran earthquake
2013 Iran earthquake may refer to several deadly earthquakes that struck Iran in 2013:
Iran–United Kingdom relations
In February 2004 following the earthquake in Bam Prince Charles and then President Mohammad Khatami visited the city.
2003 Bam earthquake
A study of 210 victims showed that on average, each person had spent 1.9 hours under destroyed buildings. Among the victims, approximately 19 had compartment syndrome, 32 contracted impaired renal function, and fractures among their bones were common. As a result of these fractures neural injuries were also common.
1981 Sirch earthquake
This is the largest event in the Kerman province since the 1981 Golbaf earthquake that killed 3,000 people. The 2003 Bam earthquake was the most significant earthquake in the Kerman Province.
Anxiety buffer disruption theory
A study looked at dissociation responses and PTSD in students who survived the 2005 Zarand earthquake in Iran. The earthquake measured 6.4 on the Richter scale, killed more than 1,500 people and displaced more than 6,700 for two months or more. It looked at dissociation one month later then two years later to see if level of dissociation predicted PTSD.
2003 Boumerdès earthquake
Many nations sent rescue teams to help in the search for earthquake survivors. International teams of relief workers went to the spot and became involved in rescuing people still trapped under rubble. International relief agencies engaged in supplies like shelter, food and water to the people who became homeless due to the quake. Sniffer dogs sent to Algeria to find survivors trapped under rubble. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement co-ordinated the relief efforts. Medical and rescue teams were dispatched from European countries. The Red Cross of the People's Republic of China donated $50,000. Trucks were called into service to remove dead bodies from Algiers and surrounding towns and villages. Army units were deployed to assist the relief effort. Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia announced an aid of $7,000 for each victim. The government dispatched several ambulances, police personnel and electrical workers into the affected area. Tents, ambulances and engineering equipment were brought by the army. Water trucks were dispatched to the quake affected villages.There was anger among the survivors over the fact that the local authorities did not provide them with temporary shelters. Government officials virtually did not take part in the relief efforts, but Islamic charities tried to provide quick assistance. The inability of the state to effectively respond to the disaster led to widespread criticism. The effects of the earthquake became worse because the construction industry in Algeria did not apply rigorous safety standards of earthquake engineering to build earthquake-proof buildings and several buildings lacked the architecture to withstand earthquakes. New housing blocks constructed by the government and by individual builders were destroyed by the quake, but private building from the French period withstood the earthquake. This was another cause of public anger. Some people claimed that officials saved money by using below-standard material in construction projects. Many angry protesters threw debris when President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and Minister of State for the Interior and Local Authorities, Noureddine Yazid Zerhouni, tried to visit some affected regions. A crowd kicked and stoned the car of Bouteflika when he visited Boumerdès shouting ""pouvoir assassin"". Prime Minister Ouyahia expressed the view of possibility of corruption in the construction sector. A commission of inquiry was set up by the government to investigate the faulty construction of several buildings which collapsed in the quake.
Bam, Iran
The modern Iranian city of Bam surrounds the Bam citadel. Before the 2003 earthquake the official population count of the city was roughly 43,000. There are various opinions about the date and reasons for the foundation of the citadel. Economically and commercially, Bam occupied a very important place in the region and was famed for its textiles and clothes. Ibn Hawqal (943–977), the Arab traveller and geographer, wrote of Bam in his book "Surat-ul-`ard" ("The Earth-figure"):
Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Its existence can be correlated with the earthquake which occurred in October 2005 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and some districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir in Pakistan and lead to mass destruction of human lives. More than seven hundred of the earthquake victim became either paraplegic or quadriplegic. This increased demand of qualified physiotherapist in the province as well as in Azad Jammu & Kashmir.
2013 Bushehr earthquake
At 16:22 IRDT (11:52 UTC) on April 9, 2013, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 struck the southwestern coast of Iran, in Bushehr Province. It struck at a depth of , near the towns of Khvormuj and Kaki. "Dozens" of aftershocks followed, most within the first hour of the main quake. The strongest aftershock had a magnitude of 5.6.
1997 Qayen earthquake
An initial report in "The New York Times" claimed that more than 2,000 people had died in the worst-affected area, with a further 394 in Birjand and two in the small town of Khavaf. The earthquake was also said to have caused five fatalities in Afghanistan. As rescue efforts proceeded these figures were revised; the United States Geological Survey states that 1,572 people were killed and as many as 2,300 injured. As bodies were retrieved, they were buried in mass graves. Officials worried that a temperature fluctuation—from on the day of the earthquake—would cause the corpses to rot more quickly, spreading infection.
Arg e Bam
On December 26, 2003, the Citadel was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake, along with much of the rest of Bam and its environs. A few days after the earthquake, the President of Iran, Mohammad Khatami, announced that the Citadel would be rebuilt.
2003 Bam earthquake
While reconstruction efforts got underway, the Housing Foundation (HF) took action to provide temporary shelters for the homeless and initiated a program for removing debris of about 19,000 houses in the city and 4,000 in rural areas.
Aceh
The western coastal areas of Aceh, including the cities of Banda Aceh, Calang, and Meulaboh, were among the areas hardest-hit by the tsunami resulting from the magnitude 9.2 Indian Ocean earthquake on 26 December 2004. While estimates vary, over 170,000 people were killed by tsunami in Aceh and about 500,000 were left homeless. The tragedy of the tsunami was further compounded several months later, when the 2005 M8.6 Nias–Simeulue earthquake struck the sea bed between the islands of Simeulue Island in Aceh and Nias in North Sumatra. This second quake killed a further 1346 people on Nias and Simeulue, displaced tens of thousands more, and caused the tsunami response to be expanded to include Nias. the World Health Organisation estimates a 100% increase in prevalence of mild and moderate mental disorders in Aceh's general population after the tsunami.
Nadeem Ahmad
Following the devastating Pakistan earthquake that killed 73,338 people, injured 128,304, and rendered 3.5 million people homeless, then Maj-Gen Nadeem Ahmad (close friend of Nadeem Ahmed Advocate) was appointed Chief Military Coordinator for the Military Wing of the Federal Relief Commission (FRC). The FRC at that time was headed by Lt Gen (R) Farooq Ahmad Khan, who was in-charge of relief efforts from the civilian side.
2003 Bam earthquake
One reason for the large number of casualties was that when the walls began to fall down, the heavy roofs would collapse, leaving few air pockets in them. The dust and lack of oxygen contributed to the suffocation of survivors. The Iranian government promised to prosecute anyone who violated building regulations, even setting up a special unit to deal with the issue.
February 1998 Afghanistan earthquake
A spokesman for the United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan, which controlled certain area, told the Afghan Islamic Press that they removed more than 3,500 bodies. According to the estimates by the Taliban government in Kabul, which ruled the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan at that time, 3,230 people died in the earthquake. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) later put the death toll at 4,000. The anti-Taliban Afghan Embassy in Dushanbe asserted that approximately 15,000 people became homeless and dozens of villages were destroyed. Nearly 15,000 houses were destroyed primarily due to the landslides. Approximately 818 people were injured and 6,725 livestock were killed.
Iran–PJAK conflict
On February 24, 2007 an Iranian helicopter crashed near the town of Khoy, killing 13 soldiers, including several members of the elite Revolutionary Guards and Said Qahari, the head of the Iranian army's 3rd Corps. PJAK quickly claimed to have shot down the helicopter using a shoulder-launched missile, killing 20 soldiers, including several senior officers, during an hour-long battle. Iran, however, blamed the crash on bad weather. After that, Iran launched a counter-offensive against the group in the northeast of Iran's West Azerbaijan province, near the Turkish border. According to Iran's state news agencies as many as 47 Kurdish rebels and 17 Iranian soldiers were killed in the violence between February 25 and March 1, 2007.
Blogging in Iran
The December 2003 Bam earthquake caused particular outrage and made clear the necessity for blogging as a news source. While the regime was ill-equipped to deal with the disaster where an estimated 30,000 people lost their lives. The aftermath was tremendous in damages, and a lack of journalists to cover the quake. Blogs, therefore, became a central source of information. For example, Dr. Marajan Haj-Ahmadi's blog became one of the most read, as she was based in the bordering city of Kerman and was able to report from the area and provide information as to the medical inadequacies. Others included Baba's blog, an anonymous ex-newspaper journalist who entered the region to provide accurate news reports from the disaster zone. The survivors of the Bam earthquake also began protesting due to lack of governmental support, which went unreported in the official news but the shooting of two individuals at a Friday prayer was reported by bloggers.
2005 Iranian Air Force C-130 crash
This crash was the deadliest aviation disaster in Iran since February 2003, when 275 people were killed as a military transport aircraft crashed in southern Iran.
2010 Damghan earthquake
The 2010 Damghan earthquake (also known as the Kuh-Zar earthquake) occurred in northern Iran at on August 27 with a moment magnitude of 5.8 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII ("Very strong"). This strike-slip event damaged and destroyed a number of small villages in a sparsely populated region near the Alborz mountain range. It left four people dead, forty injured, and about 800 people without homes. The deaths and injuries in this moderate event were attributed to the low quality construction styles that are typical of the area. The Iranian Strong Motion Network provided data by which seismologists determined the type and extent of the slip as well as the peak ground acceleration. Other large and destructive earthquakes have affected the Semnan Province, including several events in 856 AD and 1953.
2003 Bam earthquake
At least 26,271 people were killed and 30,000 injured. In terms of human loss the quake was the worst to occur in Iranian history. The BBC reported that a large number of victims were crushed while sleeping. Eleven-thousand students were killed and 1/5 of the 5,400 local teaching staff were also. This caused a significant problem for the local education system.
2002 Bou'in-Zahra earthquake
The earthquake occurred at 02:58 UTC (7:28 a.m. Iran Standard Time), while many of the estimated 60 million Iranians affected were in their homes. Its duration was seven seconds, and the epicenter was near the settlement of Bou'in-Zahra in the Khar river valley, a mountainous farming region about from the provincial capital of Qazvin. The greatest damage was across an area best known for its seedless grape harvesting, a getaway for wealthy residents of Tehran. At least 261 people were killed, 1,500 injured, and 25,000 left homeless. An earlier death toll was reported as 500, but this number was believed to be inflated once it became known that some of the severely injured had been mistaken for dead. Most of the dead were women, children and the elderly, as many of the men were working in local vineyards. Over 20 aftershocks were recorded, with magnitudes up to 5.1 on the moment magnitude scale. At least three of these caused further casualties and damage, most of which were within a radius of the main shock.
2005 Zarand earthquake
The 2005 Zarand earthquake affected several villages in the Kerman province of Iran on February 22 at . The shock measured 6.4 on the moment magnitude scale and had a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII ("Severe"). Zarand is located 740 km southeast of Tehran. The maximum recorded peak ground acceleration was 0.51 "g" at Shirinrud dam. The United States' National Earthquake Information Center and the Belgian' Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters both show that 612 died and 1,411 were injured in the event.
2002 Bou'in-Zahra earthquake
The relatively low levels of damage in the towns of Avaj or Ab-e-Garm in comparison to Changureh and Ab Darreh suggest a focus of damage to the northwest of the epicenter due to northwest propagation. In Changureh, only two buildings were left standing and over 120 casualties occurred. Ab Darreh also fared poorly; the disaster destroyed the town's only mosque, toppled 40 homes and killed at least 20 people. North of Avaj, in the village of Esmailabad, survivors recovered 38 corpses, a ninth of the total population, while searching for the missing, feared trapped in the ruins. In another village in the vicinity, Aliabad, two shepherds were the only known survivors. In the small village of Kisse-Jin, roughly 80 corpses were recovered following the rupture. Survivors crying and beating their heads and faces over loved ones were a common sight on Iranian state television.
2012 East Azerbaijan earthquakes
Iran's state television reported the quake hit near the towns of Ahar, Heris and Varzaqan in East Azerbaijan Province at 4:53 p.m. local time (12:23 GMT). "268 people, 219 women and 49 men, lost their lives in hospitals" while the rest were killed on the spot, Iran's Health Minister Marzieh Vahid-Dastjerdi said. The Iranian minister added that 3,037 people have been injured as a result of Saturday's temblors. According to the head of Iran's Rescue and Relief Organisation, access to villages has been cut and the only communication is via radio. The worst damage and most casualties were in villages near the towns of Ahar, Varzaghan and Heris. In villages near Varzaqan, with most men away from home working, the many mud brick houses which collapsed trapped mainly women and children inside.
2003 Bam earthquake
On January 8, the International Federation of the Red Cross and the U.N. launched an international appeal for relief together at a conference in Bam, appealing for $42 million and $31.3 million respectively. In response a reported 44 countries sent in personnel to assist in operations and 60 countries had offered assistance in the aftermath of the earthquake. By January 15, the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) had distributed approximately 100,000 rations of food. The United Nations sent experts to coordinate the relief effort. The Red Crescent set up tents to house survivors.
2013 Saravan earthquake
There has been an increase in earthquake activity in not only Iran but also neighboring Pakistan. In the entire 20th century Pakistan and Iran experienced a combined total of twenty-six earthquakes. Within the first thirteen years of the 21st century Pakistan and Iran have suffered a combined total of eighteen earthquakes, with the most recent earthquake in Iran occurring on April 16, 2013 and the most recent earthquake in Pakistan occurring on September 28, 2013. These earthquakes can range from microearthquakes, measuring less than a 2.0 on the moment magnitude scale (), to very large events measuring 7.0–7.9 . The smallest earthquakes may not be felt, while major earthquakes can be assessed at VIII ("Severe") or higher on the Mercalli intensity scale.
1997 Qayen earthquake
Iran experiences regular earthquakes, with 200 reported in 1996 alone. Like dozens that had preceded it, the 1997 Qayen event was of significant magnitude. It occurred on Saturday, May 10, 1997 at 12:57 IRST in the Sistan region, one of the most seismically active areas of the country. The first major earthquake in that region since 1979, it registered 7.3 on the moment magnitude scale (), 7.2 on the surface wave magnitude scale (), 7.7 on the energy magnitude scale (M), and had a maximum perceived intensity of "X", or "Extreme" on the Mercalli intensity scale.
2002 Hindu Kush earthquakes
At 12:08:19 UTC a 7.4 tremor hit an area S of Feyzabad, Afghanistan. At least 150 people were killed, several injured and 400 houses damaged or destroyed by a landslide that dammed and flooded Surkundara Valley, Samangan Province. At least 13 people were killed at Kabul and Rostaq and 3 people killed in Bajaur, Pakistan. At least 300 houses were destroyed in Badakhshan and Takhar Provinces. A 45 meter wide fissure opened in Xiker Reservoir in Xinjiang, China. This was a deep focus event and was felt in much of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Felt also in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and India.
1997 Qayen earthquake
The earthquake was caused by a rupture along the Abiz Fault, part of the Sistan suture zone of eastern Iran. Located northeast of the main collision zone between the Arabian and Eurasian tectonic plates, the Sistan zone marks the eastern boundary of the Iranian microplate where it intersects with the Afghan crustal block. Most of Iran is contained on one microplate, causing seismic activity mainly along its borders. Both the 1968 Dasht-e-Bayez earthquake (magnitude 7.3, resulting in 12,000–20,000 deaths) and the Qayen earthquake were the results of strike-slip faults, meaning that the crustal blocks on either side of the faults shifted against each other horizontally. The Qayen earthquake was caused by right lateral movement along the Abiz Fault. In addition to the dominant strike-slip displacement, there was also local evidence of reverse faulting. The average displacement of about 2 m indicates a low static stress drop, more consistent with an interplate earthquake than an intraplate event. The maximum horizontal acceleration during the quake was approximately 6.9 meters per second—nearly three-quarters of the acceleration an object would have in free fall—and occurred near the earthquake's epicenter. The crustal layer involved in the rupture was thick. The ground rupture for the earthquake extended for , which was longer than would be expected given the earthquake's magnitude. There were at least 155 aftershocks, reaching a magnitude of up to 5.5 on the Richter magnitude scale. Many of the aftershocks occurred along the rupture up to below the surface.
2003 Bam earthquake
The U.S. offered direct humanitarian assistance to Iran which was initially rejected but accepted later. On December 30 an 81-member emergency response team was deployed to Iran via U.S. military aircraft which consisted of search and rescue squads, aid coordinators, and medical support resulting in the first U.S. military airplanes to land in Iran for more than 20 years. Sanctions were temporarily relieved to help the rescue effort.
1997 Ardabil earthquake
The earthquake occurred at 12:57 UTC (4:27 p.m. Iran Standard Time) and lasted for 15 seconds. At least 1,100 people were killed, 2,600 injured, 36,000 homeless, 12,000 houses damaged or destroyed and 160,000 livestock killed in the Ardabil area of northwestern Iran. Severe damage was observed to roads, electrical power lines, communications and water distribution systems around Ardabil. Hospitals and other medical buildings were overflowing with patients as a result of the earthquake. More than 83 villages experienced some form of damage.
2003 Bam earthquake
The quake occurred at 01:56 UTC (5:26 AM Iran Standard Time) on December 26, 2003. Its epicenter was roughly southwest of the ancient city of Bam. Maximum intensities were at Bam and Baravat, with the most damage concentrated within the radius around the city.
2003 Bam earthquake
The People's Republic of China was one of the first countries to supply aid. Upon hearing of the quake, it immediately sent a 43-member rescue squad. In total, its government donated 15 million yuan (US$1.81 million). Many individuals and companies also donated money and/or supplies.
2003 Bam earthquake
Iran suffers from frequent earthquakes, with minor quakes occurring almost daily. This earthquake occurred as a result of stresses generated by movement of one tectonic plate, the Arabian plate, moving northward against another, the Eurasian plate, at approximately per year. The Earth's crust deforms in response to the plate motion in a broad zone spanning the width of Iran and extending north into Turkmenistan. Earthquakes occur as the result of reverse faulting and strike-slip faulting in the zone of deformation.
2003 Boumerdès earthquake
The 2003 Boumerdès earthquake occurred on May 21 at in northern Algeria. The shock had a moment magnitude of 6.8 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of X ("Extreme"). The epicentre of the earthquake was located near the town of Thénia in Boumerdès Province, approximately 60 km east of the capital Algiers. The quake was the strongest to hit Algeria in more than twenty years – since 1980, when a magnitude 7.1 earthquake resulted in at least 2,633 deaths.
2003 Bam earthquake
A large number of schools were affected by the tremor. An estimated 1,200 teachers and 10,000 students were killed. Ali Zang-Abadi, head of education in Bam, described the state of pupils and teachers as "badly need[ing] psychological help because they are morally devastated". Around January 5, teachers were being registered to resume educating.
2005 Qeshm earthquake
In terms of earthquake protection, Iran was named the "worst offender" in 2004 by Professor Roger Bilham of the University of Colorado at Boulder. Bilham, a geophysicist who specializes in earthquake-related deformation and hazards, blames construction practices for many of the deaths in Iranian earthquakes. Since the start of the 20th century 1 in 3,000 Iranians have died in earthquake-related incidents. The United Nations' Common Country Assessment for Iran states that the greatest damage occurs in rural areas, for which no building code exists. Large cities have a building code that takes account of the seismic hazard, but it is not rigorously followed, despite the susceptibility of three quarters of Iranian major cities to damaging earthquakes. The risk posed by poor engineering is of significant concern to the populace and an impediment to economic development. The 1990 Manjil–Rudbar earthquake, with at least 42,000 fatalities, cost Iran roughly 7.2 percent of its Gross National Product (GNP) for that year, and wiped out two years of economic growth.
2003 Altai earthquake
The 2003 Altai earthquake, or 2003 Chuya earthquake, occurred on September 27 at with a moment magnitude of 7.3 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of X ("Extreme"). The epicenter of this oblique-slip shock was in Altai Republic, Russia near the borders of Mongolia, China, and Kazakhstan. Three deaths and five injuries were reported and the total damage was listed as $10.6–33 million.
2005 Qeshm earthquake
Qeshm Island is part of the Simply Folded Belt, the most seismically active part of the Zagros fold and thrust belt. Similar to most earthquakes in the area, the 2005 event resulted from reverse slip faulting. Since it lies in such a seismically active area, there is a high risk of destructive earthquakes in Iran; 1 in 3,000 deaths are attributable to earthquakes. One geophysicist has cited the lack of strict building codes as a serious concern.
2003 Bam earthquake
Electricity and water supplies were cut by the earthquake. At least 29 serious aftershocks struck Bam following the main shock.
2003 Bam earthquake
From December 31 to January 4, the IMSuRT field hospital treated 727 patients, including surgeries and post-trauma cases of shock. The IMSuRT hospital closed on January 5, and from then on the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) field hospital took the responsibility, reporting 550 outpatients per day on January 13. That day, the IFRC announced that the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) had sent in 75 volunteers, organized in 11 teams to treat earthquake survivors for shock and to provide psychological support.
7 Medical Battalion Group
On 21 May 2003 the 6.8 Mw Boumerdès earthquake shook northern Algeria with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X ("Extreme"). The shock generated a destructive tsunami in the Mediterranean Sea and left 2,266 dead and 10,261 injured. 7 Med deployed a team to assist the South African contingent both medically and to assist in the actual technical search and rescue efforts.
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service
ECFRS was chosen as one of the 17 strategically suitable services partly because it already had 14 officers trained in urban rescue, members of the UK Fire Service Safety & Rescue Team who were part of the rescue effort that was sent to Bam in Iran after it was hit by a major earthquake in December 2003 where they helped in the search for victims amongst the ruins of the ancient city.
Borujerd
After the Iranian Revolution in 1979, and during the Iran–Iraq War, Borujerd accepted many casualties and migrants from Khuzestan Province and was bombed many times. Sixty-five children were killed during bombings in an elementary school in Borujerd alone. In recent years, Borujerd has developed in population and construction and now it is struggling with social problems such as unemployment and drug abuse. 2006 Borujerd earthquake killed 66 people and injured 1400 people.
1997 Qayen earthquake
The Qayen earthquake, also known as the Ardekul or Qaen earthquake, struck Northern Iran's Khorasan Province on May 10, 1997 at 07:57 UTC (12:57 local time). The largest in the area since 1990, the earthquake measured 7.3 on the moment magnitude scale and was centered approximately south of Mashhad on the village of Ardekul. The third earthquake that year to cause severe damage, it devastated the Birjand–Qayen region, killing 1,567 and injuring more than 2,300. The earthquake—which left 50,000 homeless and damaged or destroyed over 15,000 homes—was described as the deadliest of 1997 by the United States Geological Survey. Some 155 aftershocks caused further destruction and drove away survivors. The earthquake was later discovered to have been caused by a rupture along a fault that runs underneath the Iran–Afghanistan border.
2011 Van earthquakes
Turkish President Abdullah Gül, said that Turkish teams were capable of handling the disaster management. Thus, as of 23 October, Turkey stated that it had acknowledged but declined all the aid proposals with the exception of neighbouring Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, and Iran, with aid and rescue workers arriving at the affected area shortly after the quake struck without notifying Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Azerbaijan sent 145 rescuers at night on 23 October, another two rescue teams were sent to Turkey afterwards, bringing the total number to 213 rescue personnel. The Azerbaijani teams rescued 12 people, pulled 60 bodies from the rubbles. The Iranian Red Crescent set up relief camps to accommodate people made homeless by the quake. Several injured were transferred for treatment to the Iranian border city of Khoy. However, on 25 October, Turkey announced that they would accept aid from other countries also.
Mohammad Khatami
After the 2003 earthquake in Bam, the Iranian government rebuffed Israel's offer of assistance. On 8 April 2005, Khatami sat near Iranian-born Israeli President Moshe Katsav during the funeral of Pope John Paul II because of alphabetical order. Later, Katsav shook hands and spoke with Khatami. Katsav himself is in origin an Iranian Jew, and from a part of Iran close to Khatami's home; he stated that they had spoken about their home province. That would make this incident the first official political contact between Iran and Israel since diplomatic ties were severed in 1979.
2012 East Azerbaijan earthquakes
In the first two days, the Iranian Red Crescent said they would not accept outside help. Three days later, the Iranian government announced it would accept foreign help.
The Iranian government was criticized regarding to crisis management of the earthquake. The decision to stop the search for survivors after 24 hours was based on a government assessment that all survivors had been rescued from the rubble; an unnamed local doctor disputed the likelihood of that assessment based on the remoteness of some villages. A lack of tents for the homeless was also cited by members of the Majlis. The "IRIB" was criticised in an editorial in the "Asr-e Iran" newspaper for its perceived lack of news coverage of the earthquake. In a Majlis meeting on 13 August 2012, MPs from the affected region questioned President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for not visiting the area and for not announcing public mourning. That day, Iran then announced two days of public mourning.
Captain Bala
He has 23 years of experience in the search and rescue arena. He has led his team of volunteer members to serve in various international search and rescue operations and also humanitarian aid, namely, Bam Iran earthquake in 2003, Bandar Aceh earthquake and tsunami in 2004, Peru earthquake in 2007, Sichuan earthquake in 2008, Cyclone Nargis Myanmar in 2008, Typhoon Ketsana Philippines in 2009, Thailand Floods Operation in 2011, Nepal earthquake in April 2015, and Pidie Jaya, Aceh earthquake in 2016.
Presidency of Mohammad Khatami
After the 2003 Bam earthquake in Iran, the Iranian government rebuffed Israel's offer of assistance. On April 8, 2005, Khatami sat near Iranian-born Israeli President Moshe Katsav during the funeral of Pope John Paul II because of alphabetical order. Later, Katsav claimed that he shook hands and spoke with Khatami. Katsav himself is in origin an Iranian Jew, and from a part of Iran close to Khatami's home; he stated that they had spoken about their home province. That would make this incident the first official political contact between Iran and Israel since diplomatic ties were severed in 1979. However, after he returned to Iran, Khatami was subject to harsh criticism from conservatives for having 'recognised' Israel by speaking to its president. Subsequently, the country's state-run media reported that Khatami strongly denied shaking hands and chatting with Katsav.
2003 Bam earthquake
Relations between the United States and Iran thawed due to the earthquake. U.S.-Iranian relations had been tense during the early years of the George W. Bush. presidency, having reached a low after the "axis of evil" speech given by President George W. Bush. However, following the earthquake, White House spokesman Scott McClellan spoke on behalf of President Bush: "Our thoughts and prayers are with those who were injured and with the families of those who were killed."
2018 Sarpol-e Zahab earthquake
2018 Sarpol-e Zahab earthquake with magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck western Iran near its border with Iraq at 20:07 local time (19:37 local time in Iraq) on Sunday night, 25 November 2018 injuring over 700 people and sending fearful residents running into the street. One fatality and 45 injuries were also reported in the neighbouring Iraq.
2002 Bou'in-Zahra earthquake
According to the International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES), the earthquake was felt as far away as the capital city of Tehran, approximately east of the epicenter, although no damage was reported there. Most houses in the region were single-story masonry buildings, and virtually all of these collapsed. The public became angry due to the slow official response to victims who needed supplies. Residents of the town of Avaj resorted to throwing stones at the car of a government minister.
2005 Qeshm earthquake
The earthquake hit at 13:52:19 IRST, or 1:52 pm (10:22:19 UTC), and lasted between 10 and 30 seconds. It killed 13 people and injured 100 on Qeshm Island. In Zirang (Ziranag), a village on Qeshm, 80 percent of the buildings were demolished. Seven villages experienced extensive damage, and 13 villages were destroyed: Tonban, Ramekan, Gevarzin, Khaledin, Direstan, Kushe, Karavan, Turyan, Tom senati, Gorbehdan, Ziranag, Giahdan, and Gourian. There were reports of intensity III effects on the Mercalli scale from Bandar Abbas, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah and Ras al-Khaimah; Intensity IV ("Light") effects occurred at Sharjah. Shaking from the earthquake was also noted in Oman. No major damage occurred directly at the epicenter; residents of Qeshm reported that the shaking smashed windows, leading citizens to evacuate their homes fearing collapse. In total more than 2,000 people were affected.
2002 Bou'in-Zahra earthquake
Multiple-event relocation of the main shock and aftershock epicenters and discontinuous surface ruptures recorded after the earthquake are compatible with northeastward movement on a southwest-dipping thrust, although maximum recorded displacements were less than would have been expected from the observed magnitude. This suggests that most of the slip did not actually reach the Earth's surface but caused folding at the surface. A previously unmapped thrust with little surface expression, the Abdareh fault, has been identified from the disruption of earlier drainage systems by the growth of the fold in its hanging wall, and is thought to be responsible for the earthquake. Such structures are known as blind thrusts, and have been responsible for many destructive earthquakes in Iran and elsewhere. The geomorphological effects of this particular fold have been partly obscured by the presence of an earlier Neogene topography. The Qazvin region was hit by an even greater earthquake in 1962, which killed 12,200. In 1990 a rupture killed over 40,000 people, injured 60,000, and left more than 500,000 homeless.
2003 Bam earthquake
One of the most notable rescues was that of 97-year-old Sharbānou Māzandarānī (شهربانو مازندرانی in Persian), who was trapped in her home for eight days until she was rescued unhurt on January 3. Rescue workers took three hours to dig her out after sniffer dogs found her. Renewed media interest came to Bam on January 8, when a man was pulled out of the rubble alive. The chances of finding more living survivors following this were reportedly very slim.
Bam, Iran
On 16 March 2007 a 130 km/h sandstorm hit the city of Bam without warning, suffocating 3 children, killing 2 in car accidents, and wounding 14 others.
Humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
On 5 January, as countries jockeyed to make large donations, Jan Egeland said, "I'd rather see competitive compassion than no compassion", adding that too many countries were making pledges without any guarantee that the funds would arrive. Following the earthquake the previous year in Iran in Bam which killed 26,000 people, Iranian officials claimed to have received just US$17.5 million of the US$1 billion originally pledged. In mid-March 2005, the Asian Development Bank reported that the provision of over US$4 billion in aid promised by governments was behind schedule. Sri Lanka criticised the nations and organisations that clamoured to pledge donations, "Not a penny had come through yet. We are doing the relief work with our government money. Sri Lanka is still waiting for the money pledged by the donors. Money pledged by the people has been pledged to the NGOs."
Saudi foreign assistance
After the 2003 Bam earthquake, Saudi Arabia pledged more than $200,000 to the victims.
2003 Bam earthquake
After the earthquake, the Iranian government considered moving the state capital from Tehran to another location for fear of a crippling event similar to what had just befallen Bam. Tehran lies on a major fault which scientists have predicted may suffer from a devastating earthquake similar to that of Bam in the near future. The most cited example for the new capital was Isfahan, a city in central Iran that had previously served as capital until it was moved to Tehran in 1788.
2003 Bam earthquake
The year 2003 was later declared to be the deadliest earthquake year globally since 1990, primarily due to the Bam earthquake which contributed almost 75% of the Earth's earthquake fatalities for that year.
1997 Qayen earthquake
Many villages lost both power and water, leaving survivors unable to fend for themselves. The injured were often up to away from the nearest hospital. One doctor, highlighting the desperate need for physicians to treat the injured, said "I don't know how many casts I have done today, but it seems like hundreds."
The extensive aftershocks prompted survivors to leave the vicinity of their homes and take to tents. Several days later, another earthquake of magnitude 4.8 struck. In the wake of the earthquake and its aftershocks, every one of the 700 houses in the tiny village of Abiz, east of Qayen, was destroyed, and 400 of its 1200 residents killed.
2001 Gujarat earthquake
In Ahmedabad, Gujarat's commercial capital with a population of approximately 7 million (according to data in 2018), as many as 50 multi-storey buildings collapsed and several hundred people were killed. Total property damage was estimated at $7.5 billion. In Kutch, the earthquake destroyed about 60% of food and water supplies and around 258,000 houses, 90% of the district's housing stock. The biggest setback was the total demolition of the Bhuj Civil hospital. The Indian military provided emergency support which was later augmented by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society. A temporary Red Cross hospital remained in Bhuj to provide care while a replacement hospital was built.
2008 Qeshm earthquake
As the world's worst in a 2004 report on countries with poor earthquake engineering, Iran is especially prone to earthquakes. In addition, poor construction practice has exacerbated death tolls; 1 in 3,000 Iranians has died in an earthquake-related incident. Roger Bilham, a professor at the University of Colorado declared that "Most of Iran needs rebuilding. If the population of Iran had a choice between spending oil revenues on munitions or houses that won't kill them, I suspect they would choose a safe home. It's all a matter of earthquake education." The United Nations developed a Common Country Assessment for Iran, stating, "While adequate building regulations exist for large cities, it is generally believed that they are not rigorously adhered to... most of those who have suffered in recent major earthquakes have lived in small towns and villages. Earthquake-proof construction is very rare in those areas and adequate building regulations are not yet in place".Bibliography
Hilary Benn
Benn oversaw the DfID response to the 2003 Bam earthquake, which included "helping to coordinate efforts on the ground, liaise with other international relief organisations and work with the Iranian government to ensure that the right equipment gets to where it is needed as quickly as possible." He subsequently oversaw the UK's response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and the 2005 Nias–Simeulue earthquake, which he responded to "with skill".
2003 Bam earthquake
Another effect of the rupture on the medical community was the disruption of drug trafficking. Before the earthquake in Bam, roughly 20% of the population over 15 was addicted. Syringes with opium were supplied to drug addicts in the aftermath.
2003 Bam earthquake
After the earthquake, survivors began using opium on a large scale which was easily accessible due to Bam's location on a trade route for drugs coming from Afghanistan and Pakistan. By 2006, over 50% of men and roughly 15% of women were addicted with the youngest addict allegedly being 11 years of age. Construction workers have historically been large injectors, and the rise in addiction may have been attributed to this group passing needles on to the public. An anonymous UNICEF worker claimed that drugs were slowing reconstruction and lessening motivation.
1962 Buin Zahra earthquake
The 1962 Buin Zahra earthquake occurred on September 1 in the area of Buin Zahra, Qazvin Province, Iran. The shock had a Richter magnitude of 7.1 and resulted in 12,225 fatalities. Qazvin Province lies in an area of Iran that experiences large earthquakes. The 1962 event originated on one of many faults in the area, called the Ipak Fault. Believed to have been reactivated multiple times, the fault is extensive and could still pose a threat to locals. Iran's building codes, renowned for performing poorly during earthquakes, were recently evaluated by multiple world organizations. Most hope that the Iranian government will implement a better quality of design, highlighting that Iran is among the most seismically active countries in the world.
2001 Gujarat earthquake
The intraplate earthquake reached 7.7 on the moment magnitude scale and had a maximum felt intensity of X ("Extreme") on the Mercalli intensity scale. The earthquake killed between 13,805 and 20,023 people (including 18 in southeastern Pakistan), injured another 167,000 and destroyed nearly 400,000 homes.
1997 Qayen earthquake
The earthquakes of Iran are a large concern to the populace and are an impediment to economic development. Twelve earthquakes with a Richter magnitude of over seven have occurred within the last century. Three-quarters of the major cities of Iran are in areas prone to major earthquakes. The 1990 Manjil–Rudbar earthquake, with at least 42,000 fatalities, cost Iran roughly 7.2 percent of its Gross National Product (GNP) for that year and wiped out two years of economic growth.
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
According to the U.S. Geological Survey a total of 227,898 people died (see table below for details). Measured in lives lost, this is one of the ten worst earthquakes in recorded history, as well as the single worst tsunami in history. Indonesia was the worst affected area, with most death toll estimates at around 170,000. In an initial report by Siti Fadilah Supari, the Indonesian Minister of Health at the time, estimated the death total to be as high as 220,000 in Indonesia alone, giving a total of 280,000 fatalities. However, the estimated number of dead and missing in Indonesia were later reduced by over 50,000. In their report, the Tsunami Evaluation Coalition stated, "It should be remembered that all such data are subject to error, as data on missing persons especially are not always as good as one might wish". A much higher number of deaths has been suggested for Myanmar based on reports from Thailand.
Bahram Akasheh
Akasheh has been one of the foremost proponents for moving the Iranian capital of Tehran to Isfahan because of a distinct threat from a devastating earthquake. According to Akasheh's calculations, there is a 90 percent chance of a 6.0-magnitude quake hitting the capital and a 50 percent chance of 7.5-magnitude earthquake. The vast majority of buildings in Tehran are located on the convergence of some 100 known fault lines which in its present architectural form are incapable of withstanding even a moderate earthquake. A hypothesis presented by Akasheh indicates that a 6.8 quake in Tehran would kill more than 700,000 people. According to Akasheh, "Tehran must be rebuilt; if not it should be moved. Either we have to put up with millions of dead, millions of injured, or we need to move the capital somewhere else and take steps to decrease the population here and make Tehran more resistant to earthquakes." Following the serious damage caused by the 2003 Bam earthquake, Akasheh wrote to the President of Iran, Mohammed Khatami, in 2004 requesting a move of the capital to Isfahan which had been the nation's main centre during the Persian Empire.
2005 Qeshm earthquake
Injured residents were transported to Bandar Abbas by helicopter. An Iranian police official, citing concerns about possible looting, said all movement into and out of damaged houses would require prior approval from the governor's office, the police, and the Unexpected Events Committee on the island. UNICEF offered assistance to Iran, and the official in charge of response stated: "we are preparing to respond if needed". They elaborated that the Iranian authorities "appeared to have things under control".
2003 Bingöl earthquake
The 2003 Bingöl earthquake hit eastern Turkey with a moment magnitude of 6.4 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX ("Violent") on 1 May at . The epicenter of this strike-slip earthquake was in Bingöl Province, 15 km north of Bingöl. At least 177 people were killed, and 625 buildings collapsed or suffered heavy damage in the affected region. Eighty-four of the fatalities occurred when a dormitory block collapsed in a boarding school in Celtiksuyu.Sources
1935 Quetta earthquake
The natural disaster ranks as the 23rd most deadly earthquake worldwide to date. In the aftermath of the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, the Director General for the Meteorological Department at Islamabad, Chaudhry Qamaruzaman, cited the earthquake as being amongst the four deadliest earthquakes the South Asian region has seen; the others being the Kashmir earthquake in 2005, Pasni, 1945 Balochistan earthquake, in 1945 and Kangra earthquake in 1905.
2013 Borazjan earthquake
The 2013 Dashtestan earthquake struck near the city of Borazjan (the capital of Dashtestan County, Bushehr Province) in southern Iran on November 28 at a depth of . The shock had a moment magnitude of 5.6 and a maximum perceived intensity of IV ("Very strong") on the Mercalli intensity scale. The earthquake killed at least 7 people and another 45 were injured.
2003 Zhaosu earthquake
The 2003 Zhaosu earthquake, also known as the Syumbinskoe earthquake, occurred on December 1 at 01:38 UTC. The epicenter was located in the Almaty Region, Kazakhstan, near the Sino–Kazakh border. The earthquake had a magnitude of 6.0 and had a maximum observed intensity of VII ("Very strong") on the Medvedev–Sponheuer–Karnik scale. The epicenter was close to the Zhaosu County, Xinjiang, where 10 people were reported dead, 73 people injured, and more than 800 buildings collapsed. Some people were evacuated in Zhaosu. The earthquake occurred in the cold winter, and the 30 cm ground snow covered the roads in the mountainous region and hindered the relief work.
2003 Bam earthquake
The 81-member emergency response team worked with an 11-member Fairfax County USAR Task Force (VA-TF1), 57 member International Medical/Surgical Response Team (IMSuRT), and a 6-member Management Support Team (MST) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). USAID and OFDA sent in five airlifts of supplies for relief, including 1,146 tents, 4,448 kitchen sets, approximately 12,500 blankets, and 430 rolls of plastic sheeting amounting to a cost of $543,605. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) sent in seven C-130s with approximately 68 tonnes of medical supplies and 2,000 blankets also assisting in relief.
1997 Ardabil earthquake
In the aftermath of the tremor, of snow fell, hampering rescue efforts. The Iranian government declared three days of mourning to honor victims. Iranian president visited the damaged area on 4 March. Rescue workers at the scene disputed the official government death toll, claiming it was as much as three times higher.
Parisa Damandan
After the 2003 Bam earthquake, Damandan started a project to recover and protect the city's photographic archives. As of 2006, she had recovered over ten thousand negatives, and the project was not yet complete.
2003 Bam earthquake
Economically, the redevelopment of Bam following the earthquake provided the city with considerable opportunities for growth, and culturally, despite the extensive damage caused by the earthquake, has seen many continuities and even an advancement in these traditions. Notably the redesign and rebuilding of the city greatly improved the irrigation system and its quality, crucial to the date industry in Bam. During the reconstruction process, the improvement of the irrigation system beyond its original state increased the quality and quantity of production, and the rapidity of the process prevented the collapse of date production following the earthquake. The growth of the date industry since the earthquake in Bam has seen the expansion of the palm orchards, and an increase in investment and employment.
Effect of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on India
This disaster affected a total of fourteen regions. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands comprise 572 islands (land masses at low and high tide), of which 38 are inhabited by people from the mainland and indigenous tribes. The islands were just north of the earthquake epicentre, and the tsunami reached a height of in the southern Nicobar Islands. The official death toll was 1,310, with about 5,600 missing. The unofficial death toll (including those missing and presumed dead) was estimated at about 7,000. This ocean earthquake goes down in history as the deadliest of all time. It took the lives of over 230,000 victims throughout the fourteen regions and wounded more than double this number.
The Great Nicobar and Car Nicobar islands were the worst hit among all the islands because of their proximity to the quake and relatively flat terrain. Aftershocks rocked the area,
and one-fifth of the population of the Nicobar Islands was reported dead, injured or missing. Chowra Island lost two-thirds of its population of 1,500. Entire islands were submerged, and Trinket Island was divided in two. Communications were cut to the Nancowry group of islands, some of which were submerged.
Irwandi Yusuf
Irwandi was in his jail cell when the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake struck. The epicentr of the quake was close to the Acehnese coastline. The population of Aceh before the December 2004 tsunami was 4,271,000 (2004). The population as of 15 September 2005 was 4,031,589; a discrepancy of 239,411 lives. 170,000 people were confirmed dead.
List of earthquakes in Iran
The Iranian plateau is subject to most types of tectonic activity, including active folding, faulting and volcanic eruptions. It is well known for its long history of disastrous earthquake activity. Not only have these earthquakes killed thousands, but they have also led to waste of valuable natural resources. Since 1900, at least 126,000 fatalities have resulted from earthquakes in Iran.Sources
2008 Qeshm earthquake
The 2008 Qeshm earthquake occurred on 10 September in the Hormozgān Province of southern Iran, south of Tehran. Its epicenter was near the port city of Bandar Abbas, where an earthquake two years prior had caused damage. The earthquake measured 5.9 on the moment magnitude scale and 6 on the surface wave scale, killing seven people and injuring up to 45. Causing both catastrophic and minor damage, the earthquake devastated up to 200 villages throughout southern Iran, but left the port city of Bandar Abbas almost unscathed. Citizens reportedly panicked when the earthquake hit, emptying into the parks of the city and other open areas.