Quake-prone country fears another Bam

CRISS-CROSSED by many major fault lines, Iran is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries.

The US Geological Survey said yesterday's tremor's depth was estimated at 26 miles much greater than the December 2003 Bam quake, which was six miles deep and more powerful at 6.7 magnitude.

Experts said the greater depth would reduce the impact on the surface.

The 2003 quake flattened the southeastern city of Bam in the same region, killing 26,000 people.

Mostafa Soltani, a spokesman at Kerman's Governor General Office said the experience of the 2003 earthquake helped authorities cope.

"The earthquake in 2003 gave us a good experience of how to deal with such a natural disaster. Despite the rain, relief operations are going smoothly. Relief teams have reached the villages and are helping the survivors," he said.

Mr Soltani said yesterday's quake is not a replay of the devastating 2003 earthquake because the epicentre of the quake is remote villages with low population.

After the Bam disaster Iranian authorities blamed sloppy builders for the death toll. However, few building regulations are in force and government critics say unless action is taken another disaster will occur.

However, Iranian authorities have accused foreign governments of failing to deliver on aid pledges made after the Bam quake.

Some of the severest quakes in Iran over the past four decades:

December 26, 2003: more than 30,000 people die when a quake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale hits Bam in the south east.

June 22, 2002: Qazvin and Hamedan provinces in west: 235 dead and 1,300 injured (magnitude 6.3).

May 10, 1997: Birjand, eastern Iran: 1,613 dead and more than 3,700 injured (magnitude 7.1).

February 28, 1997: Ardebil region in the north west: officially 965 dead and 2,600 injured.

Aid agencies put the toll at 1,100 dead (magnitude 5.5).

June 21, 1990: about 37,000 killed and more than 100,000 injured in north west provinces Ghilan and Zandjan in a 7.7 quake, devastating 27 towns and about 1,870 villages.

June 11, 1981: Kerman province, south eastern Iran: 1,028 dead and 950 injured. The city of Golbaf was hit hardest. On July 28, another 1,300 were killed in a quake in the same region.

September 16, 1978: Eastern Iran: 25,000 killed. The city of Tabass is destroyed, with 15,000 dead there alone.

April 10, 1972: Ghir region in south: 5,044 dead, 45 villages destroyed.

August 31, 1968: Khorassan province in north east.

About 10,000 dead.

September 1, 1962: Qazvin, west of Tehran: 12,000 dead, 200 villages destroyed.