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Turning
point in assistance for Iranian earthquake victims at end of official
mourning period 4 February 2004 Today marks the end of the official 40-day mourning period following the devastating earthquake on 26 December which killed more than 41,000 people in the Iranian city of Bam. The authorities are now preparing to remove the piles of rubble where houses used to stand. The Iranian Red Crescent Society is also stepping up its relief distributions to some 210,000 people in Bam and the surrounding region including those homeless who are now living in the 13 camps established by the Red Crescent. During the course of this week, the Iranian Red Crescent, partly supported by WFP, is running its second major food distribution for the earthquake-affected. “We will distribute 700 tonnes of rice, 220 tonnes of sugar, 220 tonnes of grain, 140 tonnes of vegetable oil, 25 tonnes of tea, 140 tonnes of washing powder, 44 tonnes of soap and 1500 tonnes of canned beans and fish to approximately 210,000 people in Bam and the surroundings,” explained Bizhan Daftari, head of the Red Crescent’s relief and rescue department. Meanwhile, medical facilities run by the Finnish, German, Japanese and Norwegian Red Cross with the support of ECHO have treated over 20,000 patients. “We are now looking towards the longer-term and how the Red Cross and Red Crescent can best support the restoration of normal life in the city; 85 per cent of the city has been destroyed and there are many challenges ahead,” said Mostafa Mohaghegh, head of the Iranian Red Crescent International Department who will be in London on Friday to speak at a British Red Cross seminar hosted by its president, the Prince of Wales, at St. James Palace. “The priority of the Iranian Red Crescent is the continuity of the relief operation for the people of Bam, at least for the next two years, until life gets back to normal,” he explained. “We will also continue our lead role in repairing and rebuilding certain facilities for the population.” A joint International Federation/Iranian Red Crescent assessment team on rehabilitation has just issued its recommendations on future rehabilitation projects. These include reinforcing the existing Red Cross Red Crescent tented field hospital and moving it into prefabricated units, increasing water and sanitation services, both for hospital patients and the general population, and building an orthopaedic centre which would serve not only earthquake victims but the general population (10 million people) of four provinces. For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact: In Bam: Till Mayer, Information Delegate - Tel: + 882 162 111 54 87 In Geneva: Denis McClean, head, Media Service - Tel: + 41 22 730 44 28 / + 41 79 217 33 57 Marie-Françoise Borel, Press Officer - Tel: + 41 22 730 43 46 / + 41 79 217 33 45 Duty phone - Tel: + 41 79 416 38 81 The Geneva-based International Federation promotes the humanitarian activities of 181 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies among vulnerable people. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging development support, it seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The Federation, National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross together, constitute the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. © International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies |
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