good things do happen around the holidays

[g420]

Thousands Feared Dead in Iran Earthquake

Friday, December 26, 2003

TEHRAN, Iran — More than 15,000 people were reported killed after a devastating mangitude 6.7 earthquake (search) rattled Bam, a historic city in southeast Iran (search) on Friday.

"What I know is that more than 15,000 have been killed," one of Iranian official told Reuters.

Earlier, officials said at least 5,000 people were dead as they said twice that many could end up as fatalities. Another 30,000 people were injured.

President Mohammad Khatami said the loss and destruction was a "national tragedy" as his government declared three days of mourning for the victims.

"The quake hit the city when most of the people were in bed, raising fears that the death toll may go higher," said Hasan Khoshrou, a legislator for Kerman province where the quake occurred.

Officials surveying the city of 80,000 people from helicopter said about 60 percent of the city's houses were destroyed, Khoshrou said. Water, power and phone lines were cut. The earthquake struck at about 5:30 a.m.

The U.S. Geological Survey (search) reported the quake's magnitude was 6.7, capable of causing severe damage. It reported an aftershock of magnitude 5.4 about two hours later.

Authorities in Bam, 630 miles southeast of the capital Tehran (search), put out a call for blood donations.

"Many people have died," Kerman province Gov. Mohammad Ali Karimi told state media. "Many people are buried under the rubble."

Relief teams set up their headquarters in a public square in Bam because their offices in the governor's building had been ruined, Karimi told state radio.

Karimi said worried relatives from surrounding areas were heading to Bam and causing massive traffic jams that were slowing rescue efforts. He urged them to stay home and wait until phone service was restored to try to find relatives.

Reports said the earthquake destroyed Bam's medieval fortress, a massive, 2,000-year-old structure that sits on a cliff near the city and attracts thousands of tourists each year. The fortress includes scores of ancient mud huts.

"The historic quarter of the city has been completely destroyed and caused great human loss," said Mehran Nourbakhsh, chief spokesman for Iran's Red Crescent, the Islamic equivalent of the Red Cross.

Authorities have sent numerous rescue workers with helicopters to the area, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

"We are doing everything we can to rescue the injured and unearth the dead," television quoted Karimi as saying.

The United Nations disaster management team in Tehran has asked the Iranian government if it needs help and was to meet later Friday to assess the situation, said Elizabeth Byrs, Geneva spokeswoman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

She said there had been no request from Tehran so far.

Roy Probert, spokesman for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said the umbrella group also has had no requests. Probert said the Iranian Red Crescent is well-prepared for earthquakes.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences over the earthquake.

In a telegram to Iranian President Mohamed Khatami, Putin said he was "deeply shocked by an earthquake in Iran that brought numerous victims and destruction" and offered his "sincere condolences to the leadership and people of Iran."

Russian Emergency Situations Ministry spokeswoman Marina Ryklina said that two Il-76 transport aircraft with rescue workers and equipment were to leave for Iran later Friday.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder expressed "deep sorrow" over the disaster and said his country would offer humanitarian assistance. Greece put a team of rescue specialists on alert for possible deployment to Iran.

Hardly any buildings in Iran are built to withstand earthquakes, although the country sits on several major faultlines and temblors are frequent. An earthquake of magnitude 7.3 to 7.7 killed 50,000 people on June 21, 1990, and most recently, a magnitude 6 quake in June, 2002 killed 500 people.

Also Friday, a magnitude 4 quake rocked the west Iranian town of Masjid Soleiman at 8:10 a.m., but no casualties were immediately reported, state television said. Masjid Soleiman is about 600 miles northwest of Bam.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[kramadas]

"good things do happen during the holidays" - you're fuckin pathetic!

[xpyrate]

what i dont get is how you can dance when thousands of arabs die ... then scream and shout at them when they danced 911?

[jamiroguy1]

Originally posted by g420

Thousands Feared Dead in Iran Earthquake

Friday, December 26, 2003

TEHRAN, Iran — More than 15,000 people were reported killed after a devastating mangitude 6.7 earthquake (search) rattled Bam, a historic city in southeast Iran (search) on Friday.

"What I know is that more than 15,000 have been killed," one of Iranian official told Reuters.

Earlier, officials said at least 5,000 people were dead as they said twice that many could end up as fatalities. Another 30,000 people were injured.

President Mohammad Khatami said the loss and destruction was a "national tragedy" as his government declared three days of mourning for the victims.

"The quake hit the city when most of the people were in bed, raising fears that the death toll may go higher," said Hasan Khoshrou, a legislator for Kerman province where the quake occurred.

Officials surveying the city of 80,000 people from helicopter said about 60 percent of the city's houses were destroyed, Khoshrou said. Water, power and phone lines were cut. The earthquake struck at about 5:30 a.m.

The U.S. Geological Survey (search) reported the quake's magnitude was 6.7, capable of causing severe damage. It reported an aftershock of magnitude 5.4 about two hours later.

Authorities in Bam, 630 miles southeast of the capital Tehran (search), put out a call for blood donations.

"Many people have died," Kerman province Gov. Mohammad Ali Karimi told state media. "Many people are buried under the rubble."

Relief teams set up their headquarters in a public square in Bam because their offices in the governor's building had been ruined, Karimi told state radio.

Karimi said worried relatives from surrounding areas were heading to Bam and causing massive traffic jams that were slowing rescue efforts. He urged them to stay home and wait until phone service was restored to try to find relatives.

Reports said the earthquake destroyed Bam's medieval fortress, a massive, 2,000-year-old structure that sits on a cliff near the city and attracts thousands of tourists each year. The fortress includes scores of ancient mud huts.

"The historic quarter of the city has been completely destroyed and caused great human loss," said Mehran Nourbakhsh, chief spokesman for Iran's Red Crescent, the Islamic equivalent of the Red Cross.

Authorities have sent numerous rescue workers with helicopters to the area, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

"We are doing everything we can to rescue the injured and unearth the dead," television quoted Karimi as saying.

The United Nations disaster management team in Tehran has asked the Iranian government if it needs help and was to meet later Friday to assess the situation, said Elizabeth Byrs, Geneva spokeswoman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

She said there had been no request from Tehran so far.

Roy Probert, spokesman for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said the umbrella group also has had no requests. Probert said the Iranian Red Crescent is well-prepared for earthquakes.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences over the earthquake.

In a telegram to Iranian President Mohamed Khatami, Putin said he was "deeply shocked by an earthquake in Iran that brought numerous victims and destruction" and offered his "sincere condolences to the leadership and people of Iran."

Russian Emergency Situations Ministry spokeswoman Marina Ryklina said that two Il-76 transport aircraft with rescue workers and equipment were to leave for Iran later Friday.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder expressed "deep sorrow" over the disaster and said his country would offer humanitarian assistance. Greece put a team of rescue specialists on alert for possible deployment to Iran.

Hardly any buildings in Iran are built to withstand earthquakes, although the country sits on several major faultlines and temblors are frequent. An earthquake of magnitude 7.3 to 7.7 killed 50,000 people on June 21, 1990, and most recently, a magnitude 6 quake in June, 2002 killed 500 people.

Also Friday, a magnitude 4 quake rocked the west Iranian town of Masjid Soleiman at 8:10 a.m., but no casualties were immediately reported, state television said. Masjid Soleiman is about 600 miles northwest of Bam.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Dude... This title of this thread puts you right up there next to satan, you godless fuck. It's not funny and shows everyone in this forum how much of a jackass you are. Happy holidays, asshole.

[igloo]

g420-that was a deplorable thing to do.

[g420]

An enemy of Israel is an enemy of mine.

[mr mahs]

Originally posted by g420

Thousands Feared Dead in Iran Earthquake

Friday, December 26, 2003

TEHRAN, Iran — More than 15,000 people were reported killed after a devastating mangitude 6.7 earthquake (search) rattled Bam, a historic city in southeast Iran (search) on Friday.

"What I know is that more than 15,000 have been killed," one of Iranian official told Reuters.

Earlier, officials said at least 5,000 people were dead as they said twice that many could end up as fatalities. Another 30,000 people were injured.

President Mohammad Khatami said the loss and destruction was a "national tragedy" as his government declared three days of mourning for the victims.

"The quake hit the city when most of the people were in bed, raising fears that the death toll may go higher," said Hasan Khoshrou, a legislator for Kerman province where the quake occurred.

Officials surveying the city of 80,000 people from helicopter said about 60 percent of the city's houses were destroyed, Khoshrou said. Water, power and phone lines were cut. The earthquake struck at about 5:30 a.m.

The U.S. Geological Survey (search) reported the quake's magnitude was 6.7, capable of causing severe damage. It reported an aftershock of magnitude 5.4 about two hours later.

Authorities in Bam, 630 miles southeast of the capital Tehran (search), put out a call for blood donations.

"Many people have died," Kerman province Gov. Mohammad Ali Karimi told state media. "Many people are buried under the rubble."

Relief teams set up their headquarters in a public square in Bam because their offices in the governor's building had been ruined, Karimi told state radio.

Karimi said worried relatives from surrounding areas were heading to Bam and causing massive traffic jams that were slowing rescue efforts. He urged them to stay home and wait until phone service was restored to try to find relatives.

Reports said the earthquake destroyed Bam's medieval fortress, a massive, 2,000-year-old structure that sits on a cliff near the city and attracts thousands of tourists each year. The fortress includes scores of ancient mud huts.

"The historic quarter of the city has been completely destroyed and caused great human loss," said Mehran Nourbakhsh, chief spokesman for Iran's Red Crescent, the Islamic equivalent of the Red Cross.

Authorities have sent numerous rescue workers with helicopters to the area, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

"We are doing everything we can to rescue the injured and unearth the dead," television quoted Karimi as saying.

The United Nations disaster management team in Tehran has asked the Iranian government if it needs help and was to meet later Friday to assess the situation, said Elizabeth Byrs, Geneva spokeswoman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

She said there had been no request from Tehran so far.

Roy Probert, spokesman for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said the umbrella group also has had no requests. Probert said the Iranian Red Crescent is well-prepared for earthquakes.

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences over the earthquake.

In a telegram to Iranian President Mohamed Khatami, Putin said he was "deeply shocked by an earthquake in Iran that brought numerous victims and destruction" and offered his "sincere condolences to the leadership and people of Iran."

Russian Emergency Situations Ministry spokeswoman Marina Ryklina said that two Il-76 transport aircraft with rescue workers and equipment were to leave for Iran later Friday.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder expressed "deep sorrow" over the disaster and said his country would offer humanitarian assistance. Greece put a team of rescue specialists on alert for possible deployment to Iran.

Hardly any buildings in Iran are built to withstand earthquakes, although the country sits on several major faultlines and temblors are frequent. An earthquake of magnitude 7.3 to 7.7 killed 50,000 people on June 21, 1990, and most recently, a magnitude 6 quake in June, 2002 killed 500 people.

Also Friday, a magnitude 4 quake rocked the west Iranian town of Masjid Soleiman at 8:10 a.m., but no casualties were immediately reported, state television said. Masjid Soleiman is about 600 miles northwest of Bam.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Our beef is with the govt not the innocent people of Iran!!!!

I agree with everyone here, in your posting of this article in a positive light is just plain wrong....

[ghhhhhost]

my beef is wit the US govt...so why do u hop up on my dilznick at every opportunity?

HYYYYPOOOOCRITEEE