 On December 26th, 2003, a strong earthquake struck the historic city of Bam in Iran. This city was home to 100,000 people. More than 43,000 people died in the earthquake and more than 25,000 were injured.
That is almost one half of the population!
The earthquake damaged some 85 percent of the buildings and destroyed a 2,000 year-old citadel, Argo-e-Bam.
Three months have passed since the earthquake. Local authorities, along with the international community’s help, have been busy with relief and reconstruction efforts.
The Iranian authorities have been doing extremely well, says Hedi Larbi who is part of the World Bank’s team working to help the people in Bam. He just came back from Bam a few days ago. Here's what he said:
Since the earthquake, the authorities have provided first emergency services to people. They’ve provided food and emergency health care. They’ve put up people in makeshift shelters, but now are putting up temporary-prefabricated housing that will make living a bit more comfortable. They are also putting in place a temporary sanitation system, such as water and toilettes.
They hope to soon set up emergency schools in tents to resume education. They are also looking at ways to help the population start working again. They have organized teams to provide psychological help.
Bam was very famous for the old citadel that was destroyed. People in Bam are very upset about that because the citadel was part of their heritage and identity. It was also an important source of income for local people because many tourists came to visit the citadel. That’s why many people hope that the citadel will be reconstructed.
How long will the reconstruction take?
The Iranian authorities estimate that reconstruction activities will take between 24-36 months. We think it will probably take a bit longer. The basic infrastructure and housing should be completed within 24 months, but the rest will take longer, Larbi concluded.
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