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BAM,
\n Iran (Reuters) – A pre-dawn earthquake razed much of the ancient Silk
\n Road city of Bam in Iran on Friday, killing more than 20,000 people and
\n injuring tens of thousands more, government officials said.<\/p>\n
About 70 per cent of the buildings in the historic city, a popular tourist
\n spot some 1,000 km (600 miles) southeast of the capital, Tehran, had collapsed
\n and many residents were trapped under the rubble, state television said.<\/p>\n
"Rescue workers have found more bodies. The figure is now more than
\n 20,000," a
\n senior government official said. The quake at about 5:30 a.m. (9 p.m. EST
\n Thursday) measured 6.3 on the Richter scale.<\/p>\n
Other officials said around 50,000 people were injured in and around
\n the city, which, with its environs, had a population of some 200,000
\n people.<\/p>\n
Bam was without water, electricity or gas as night fell and temperatures
\n headed below freezing. Residents set fires to stay warm and made torches
\n from palm branches for light as they dug with bare hands for survivors.<\/p>\n
from Reuters<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" BAM, Iran (Reuters) – A pre-dawn earthquake razed much of the ancient Silk Road city of Bam in Iran on Friday, killing more than 20,000 people and injuring tens of thousands more, government officials said. About 70 per cent of … Continue reading