IRAN: Relief workers turned their attention to building more permanent shelter yesterday for thousands of Iranians whose homes were razed in an earthquake in the city of Bam a week ago.
While more than 30,000 corpses have been pulled from the ruined city, a hope-inspiring trickle of survivors rescued alive appeared to come to an end yesterday after one man, one child and a pregnant woman were saved on Thursday.
At least six others have been rescued since Tuesday, despite long odds, after 72 hours under debris without food or water. The "miracles" have been rare, with the local mud-brick construction leaving few air pockets for survivors.
Mr Frederick Lyons, the UN resident co-ordinator, said search and rescue was over and the UN would appeal for funds next week to address the primary needs of shelter, food and water.
"That's the natural thing to do now after the search and rescue phase is completed," he said in Bam, where large tents were being set up.
With international aid pouring in to the affected area in southeast Iran, relief workers said health fears had abated.
"There's been no outbreak of contagious disease," Mr Lyons said.
State television tried to counter some of the gloom weighing on the nation with heart-warming reports and images of babies, born in field hospitals, in the arms of Bam women.
The quake, which measured 6.8 on the Richter scale, struck beneath Bam while most of its 100,000 people slept. At least 30,000 people died in the tremor, which destroyed 90 per cent of the buildings in the Silk Road city and government officials have said the final toll may reach 50,000, making it one of the world's worst disasters of recent decades.
Seven survivors died from injuries after being evacuated to the central city of Isfahan and several others in the city were in critical condition, the official IRNA news agency reported.
At Bam airport, foreign cargo aircraft filled with supplies continued to stream into Iran.
"This is the eighth or ninth aid flight we've brought and we will keep coming," said a crew member of a Pakistani Hercules carrying tents and kerosene lamps. Aid from some 50 countries has flooded in. - (Reuters)