: Hope Fades In Iran As Death Toll Surpasses 20,000

Search and rescue teams from all over the world poured into the quake-stricken city of Bam, Iran this weekend as people desparately tried to save what few victims may have survived the 6.3 temblor. Over 90% of the injured are said to be in critical condition, leaving much work for local and incoming doctors to do. Already over 15,000 victims have been buried in mass graves. In addtion to leveling 70% of the city and the landmark 2,000 year old citadel at its center, the earthquake also brought down the wall between the US and Iran, if only temporarily, as US calls for economic sanctions on Iran were replaced with US relief flights into Iran (the first US landings in over 20 years) and the otherwise unlikely scene of Iranian soldiers working hand in hand with their US counterparts to distribute 12 planeloads of cargo. Many areas of the Muslim world share the same characteristics as Bam – sun-baked mud brick buildings in active earthquake zones. Unfortunately, the talent of Muslim engineers in the West, one of whom is responsible for the design of the tallest building in America, has not yet been tapped to help protect vulnerable areas of the Muslim world against future disasters like this one. “The technology is there to construct earthquake-protected structures,” commented Iranian structural engineer Mohammad Ehsani.

Shahed Amanullah is editor-in-chief of altmuslim.com.