Reuters is now reporting that over 20,000 people died in the Bam, Iran earthquake yesterday:
story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=s … ke_iran_dc
Does anyone know of Iranian relief organizations that are accepting donations in either Taiwan or the U.S.?
All rescue teams throughout Taiwan are going to fly to Iran this afternoon. Maybe you can contact with the Red Cross Society of the Republic of China to donate something.
One time when there was an earthquake in Iran, I gave a donation to Oxfam, earmarked for Iranian earthquake relief. I believe Oxfam is capable of getting aid to the people who need it, bypassing the objectionable Islamic Republic regime. Oxfam started mailing me with donation requests, and I had to ask them to stop wasting paper and stamps because I was unemployed at the time.
The Taiwan/ROC Red Cross Society’s web site is www.redcross.org.tw - It seems to be in Chinese only. For details of how to donate to the RCSROC, click here.
The British Red Cross has launched an emergency appeal following the Iran earthquake. The number is 0207 245 1000 or donate online at www.redcross.org.uk
Re the next post: The Tzu Chi Foundation’s web site is www.tzuchi.org/global/
You might also check out as to whether the Tze Chi (spelling?) Foundation is also providing relief. They have begun to build quite a strong reputation interms of disaster relief worldwide.
The news reports say 5,000 died in the quake yesterday. Others say 10,000 and estimates go as high as 20,000 and 40,000. How many people died here in the 921 earthquake in 1996? (I am not sure of the date, sorry, before my time here).
It kinds of boggles the mind, 20,000 dead in one morning event? Could be the fog of disaster, and final tally will be like 4000 dead. What are you hearing now? I predict that before this is over, there will be like 30,000 dead or maybe even 50,0o0 dead. A dire prediction. Believe me?
About the Earthquake:
Date: September 21st, 1999
Time: 1:47 a.m.
Location: Central Taiwan
Depth of Rupture: 8 km.
Magnitude: 7.3 on the Richter scale.
Death Toll: 2,471 persons
Seriously Injured: 11,305 persons
Homes Collapsed: About 51,000 units
Homes Semi-collapsed: About 53,000 units
Damage to Public Infrastructure: Power, water and telecommunications infrastructure, roads, bridges, railways, historical buildings and schools were severely damaged.
Estimated Total Loss: About NT$360 billion.
20,000 people are dead, maybe more, and the UK press writes:
“Briton Missing after Massive Earthquake By Tom Kelly, PA News A Briton is missing in Iran after the massive earthquake that killed up to 20,000 people, officials said today.”
That was the headline too.
The rest of the story read: “And in addition to the one UK man reportedly killed in yesterday’s klunker, one American, one Frenchman, one Canadian, two Japanese and four Koreans were also killed. The other 19,967 people remain unidentitified.”
I mean, I just don’t get it. Will the New York Post say in its headline tomorrow: “One New Yorker killed in vast Iran quake” ?
Aren’t people, all people, just people?
Absolutely Formosa. People are people but unfortunately people who come from countries with powerful media are oft deemed more important. By what measure who knows?
My thoughts are with the survivors of the Bam quake.
updata: updated data:
The Interior Ministry estimated the death toll at 20,000 but officials in the region said it could be double that amount. DOUBLE!!
and sadly, comment on our times, IRAN govt says every country welcome to contribute help and aid, except ISRAEL. as if religion or ideology should matter. dummies!
and: “The earthquake collapsed the walls of the local prison, allowing all 800 inmates to escape,” guard Vahid Masoumpour said. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee! But how many of them died in the quake?
What do these numbers mean? NUMBers?
Today they are saying 28,000 dead, now they are saying maybe 50,000 dead. Why is nobody commenting on these figures? It boggles the mind, for 50,000 people to die in one event like this, no?
The newspapers should be editorializing about this? Taiwan lost how many in 921, …2500 people dead? Iran now says 50,000 50K dead. it boggles the mind. and should give us all pause as the New Year begins.
QUOTE: The death toll for Friday’s earthquake in southeastern Iran may rise as high as 50,000, government officials told Reuters Tuesday.“We are expecting the death toll to reach around 50,000,” a senior Interior Ministry official said.“If we consider that, on average, five people lived in each house we can say the death toll will reach 50,000.”
The news today said that while they expect to find more than 30,000 dead, they don’t expect to reach 40,000.
Consider that as bad as Taiwanese construction standards may be, in Bam the houses were built of unreinforced mud brick. No steel or wood, just lumps of mud piled on top of each other with a little mud between them to make them stick. There really isn’t much wonder that the buildings collapsed.
It is amazing that when the Taiwan team that was there doing rescue work met with the UN rep there, the Taiwan team was forced to TAKE DOWN the Taiwan flag because China complained about it being flown. Talk about dirty tricks! Talk about bullshit China fuckshit! People are dying, Taiwan sends over a team, and China turns this into politics again! That seals it: China will sink into the sea in a few short year, rotten communism to the core! [and how I really feel about this insanity is on my blog below]: first, Iran does not let Israel help with earthquake rescue, because of politics, and then the Taiwan flag is forced down by Chinese commies. I am getting ready to quit the human race. Starting my own blog is just my first step!
The saddest, saddest, saddest part about it all forumosa, is that if it weren’t for Taiwan/China politics the Taiwan flag and Taiwan aid might never have been there at all.
Now you can call me a cynical s.o.b.
The Tzu Chi Foundation is making a predictably efficient contribution to the relief efforts. Apparently they had a load of blankets in Jordan which where meant for Iraq, but couldn’t be taken into Iraq because of unrest. They have been sent to Bam instead. Tzu Chi also managed to find some Iranian students and a Taiwanese woman married to an Iranian to help out with interpreting.
The Taiwanese relief team flying an ROC flag was from the Taibei fire and civil defence department. The version I read was that the Chinese mission had asked for the flag to be taken down but it stayed up.