Why did so many have to die in Bam?

Rokenn · 12-30-2003, 05:11 PM

Came across this column while reading up on Iran asking for more equipment and less people to aid in the recovery of the quake. It address a question I've been thinking about since the Iranian quake happened.

Why did so many have to die in Bam?

David Aaronovitch
Tuesday December 30, 2003
The Guardian

Excerpt:
The Iranian spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei yesterday managed to get to Bam, three days after the earthquake which may have killed 30,000 of his fellow Iranians. The president, Mohammad Khatami, followed soon afterwards. Khamenei had words of dubious comfort for survivors when he told them that "we will rebuild Bam stronger than before". Given the collapse of 80% of the buildings, from the old fortress to the new hospitals, the Iranian government could hardly make the new Bam as weak as the old one.
Some will see this as simply a natural disaster of the kind to which Iran, according to Khatami, is "prone". Four days earlier, however, there had been another earthquake of about the same intensity, this time in California. In which about 0.000001% of the buildings suffered serious structural damage and two people were killed when an old clocktower collapsed. So why the polar disparity between Bam and Paso Robles?

This is not a silly question. True, the Californians are much richer than the Iranians. But if you believed everything you read in the works of M Moore and others, you would anticipate a culture of corporate greed in which safety and regulation came way behind the desire to turn the quick buck. Instead you discover a society in which the protection of citizens from falling masonry seems to be regarded as enormously important.

Whereas in Iran - for all its spiritual solidarity - the authorities don't appear to give a toss. The report in this paper from Teheran yesterday was revealing. It was one thing for the old, mud-walled citadel to fall down, but why the new hospitals? An accountant waiting to give blood at a clinic in the capital told our correspondent that it was a "disgrace that a rich country like ours with all the revenue from oil and other natural resources is not prepared to deal with an earthquake".
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So I guess all those reams of building code regulations we have here in California are not such a bad thing after all. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Djinn Raffo · 12-30-2003, 05:14 PM

The same thing happened during that earthquake in Turkey. Shoddy construction.

Rokenn · 12-30-2003, 05:17 PM

yup, but I guess this really brought it to my mind since both quakes occured within a week of each other and were of the same size.

12-30-2003, 10:58 PM

Rokenn [img]smile.gif[/img] One of the things I LIKE about California is their Building codes re: quake zones. Only place where I saw better was in Alaska and that was on a military base...I suppose Japan has to be comparable.

And it is no lie that Iran is not strapped for cash...they have some major income capabilities.

Djinn Raffo · 12-31-2003, 03:23 AM

Vancouver Island and the lower mainland British Columbia has learned alot from California re: Earthquakes on many levels. From building codes
to Safety drills.

Thanks California *sighs*

wellard · 01-04-2004, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MagiK:

And it is no lie that Iran is not strapped for cash...they have some major income capabilities.

Which begs the question was it incompatance or corruption or just plain dumb ass ignorance?

It will be intresting to follow up the investigation if there is one.

Ar-Cunin · 01-04-2004, 11:32 AM

I assume nearly everybody has seen pictures of the fort in Bam - before and after the earthquake. Even today buildings (especially in the surrounding villages) are constructed in the same way - out of baked clay brick. They can't withstand an eatrthquake of such a magnitude - and the result was the large number of deaths

Donut · 01-06-2004, 06:21 AM

The fantastically beautiful Citadel at Bam has survived for over 2000 years. Think about that.

skywalker · 01-06-2004, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Donut:
The fantastically beautiful Citadel at Bam has survived for over 2000 years. Think about that.

I've seen pictures of the Citadel and you are so right, Donut. I imagine that it has been pulverized into dust as well?

Mark

skywalker · 01-06-2004, 07:11 AM

Just found the answer to my own question. So sad.

Historic citadel of Bam levelled by earthquake

One of the most perfectly preserved cities of ancient world 'completely destroyed'

By BAM, IRAN
Agence France-Presse with a report from The Guardian
Saturday, December 27, 2003 - Page A11

Yesterday's devastating earthquake wiped out one of the most perfectly preserved cities of the ancient world, featuring a 2,000-year-old citadel that was one of the largest mud-built structures anywhere.

The vast castle, surrounded by a three-kilometre crenellated wall, loomed over a city entirely built of mud bricks, clay, straw and the trunks of palm trees, and sealed off by a defensive perimeter with a single gate.

More Here

Mark

12-30-2003, 05:11 PM	#1
Rokenn Galvatron Join Date: January 22, 2002 Location: california wine country Age: 60 Posts: 2,193	Came across this column while reading up on Iran asking for more equipment and less people to aid in the recovery of the quake. It address a question I've been thinking about since the Iranian quake happened. Why did so many have to die in Bam? David Aaronovitch Tuesday December 30, 2003 The Guardian Excerpt: The Iranian spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei yesterday managed to get to Bam, three days after the earthquake which may have killed 30,000 of his fellow Iranians. The president, Mohammad Khatami, followed soon afterwards. Khamenei had words of dubious comfort for survivors when he told them that "we will rebuild Bam stronger than before". Given the collapse of 80% of the buildings, from the old fortress to the new hospitals, the Iranian government could hardly make the new Bam as weak as the old one. Some will see this as simply a natural disaster of the kind to which Iran, according to Khatami, is "prone". Four days earlier, however, there had been another earthquake of about the same intensity, this time in California. In which about 0.000001% of the buildings suffered serious structural damage and two people were killed when an old clocktower collapsed. So why the polar disparity between Bam and Paso Robles? This is not a silly question. True, the Californians are much richer than the Iranians. But if you believed everything you read in the works of M Moore and others, you would anticipate a culture of corporate greed in which safety and regulation came way behind the desire to turn the quick buck. Instead you discover a society in which the protection of citizens from falling masonry seems to be regarded as enormously important. Whereas in Iran - for all its spiritual solidarity - the authorities don't appear to give a toss. The report in this paper from Teheran yesterday was revealing. It was one thing for the old, mud-walled citadel to fall down, but why the new hospitals? An accountant waiting to give blood at a clinic in the capital told our correspondent that it was a "disgrace that a rich country like ours with all the revenue from oil and other natural resources is not prepared to deal with an earthquake". ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So I guess all those reams of building code regulations we have here in California are not such a bad thing after all. [img]smile.gif[/img] __________________ “This is an impressive crowd, the haves and the have mores. <br />Some people call you the elite. <br />I call you my base.”<br />~ George W. Bush (2000)

12-30-2003, 05:17 PM	#3
Rokenn Galvatron Join Date: January 22, 2002 Location: california wine country Age: 60 Posts: 2,193	yup, but I guess this really brought it to my mind since both quakes occured within a week of each other and were of the same size. __________________ “This is an impressive crowd, the haves and the have mores. <br />Some people call you the elite. <br />I call you my base.”<br />~ George W. Bush (2000)

01-04-2004, 11:32 AM	#7
Ar-Cunin Ra Join Date: August 14, 2001 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Age: 52 Posts: 2,326	I assume nearly everybody has seen pictures of the fort in Bam - before and after the earthquake. Even today buildings (especially in the surrounding villages) are constructed in the same way - out of baked clay brick. They can't withstand an eatrthquake of such a magnitude - and the result was the large number of deaths __________________ Life is a laugh <img border=\"0\" alt=\"[biglaugh]\" title=\"\" src=\"graemlins/biglaugh.gif\" /> - and DEATH is the final joke <img border=\"0\" alt=\"[hehe]\" title=\"\" src=\"graemlins/hehe.gif\" />

01-06-2004, 06:21 AM	#8
Donut Jack Burton Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: Airstrip One Age: 40 Posts: 5,571	The fantastically beautiful Citadel at Bam has survived for over 2000 years. Think about that. __________________ [img]\"http://www.wheatsheaf.freeserve.co.uk/roastspurs.gif\" alt=\" - \" /> <br />Proud member of the Axis of Upheaval<br />Official Titterer of the Laughing Hyenas<br />Josiah Bartlet - the best President the US never had.<br />The 1st D in the D & D Show

12-30-2003, 05:14 PM	#2
Djinn Raffo Ra Join Date: March 11, 2001 Location: Ant Hill Age: 49 Posts: 2,397	The same thing happened during that earthquake in Turkey. Shoddy construction.

12-30-2003, 10:58 PM	#4
MagiK Guest Posts: n/a	Rokenn [img]smile.gif[/img] One of the things I LIKE about California is their Building codes re: quake zones. Only place where I saw better was in Alaska and that was on a military base...I suppose Japan has to be comparable. And it is no lie that Iran is not strapped for cash...they have some major income capabilities.

12-31-2003, 03:23 AM	#5
Djinn Raffo Ra Join Date: March 11, 2001 Location: Ant Hill Age: 49 Posts: 2,397	Vancouver Island and the lower mainland British Columbia has learned alot from California re: Earthquakes on many levels. From building codes to Safety drills. Thanks California sighs

01-06-2004, 07:11 AM	#10
skywalker Banned User Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: VT, USA Age: 63 Posts: 3,097	Just found the answer to my own question. So sad. Historic citadel of Bam levelled by earthquake One of the most perfectly preserved cities of ancient world 'completely destroyed' By BAM, IRAN Agence France-Presse with a report from The Guardian Saturday, December 27, 2003 - Page A11 Yesterday's devastating earthquake wiped out one of the most perfectly preserved cities of the ancient world, featuring a 2,000-year-old citadel that was one of the largest mud-built structures anywhere. The vast castle, surrounded by a three-kilometre crenellated wall, loomed over a city entirely built of mud bricks, clay, straw and the trunks of palm trees, and sealed off by a defensive perimeter with a single gate. More Here Mark

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