On 26 December 2003, an earthquake of magnitude 6.5 struck Bam City in south-eastern Iran, and killed at least 42 000 people, injured 30 000, and left 75 000 homeless. The earthquake destroyed 80 per cent of wells and 87 per cent of the buildings in the city of Bam, as well as the 2 000 year old medieval fortress, the largest earthern structure in the world, which sits on a cliff near the city and attracts thousands of tourists each year. A total of 18 000 buildings in Bam and surrounding villages were destroyed including 131 school buildings, three hospitals, 95 health centres and 14 rural health clinics.

The earthquake killed at least 42 000 people, injured 30 000, and left 75 000 homeless.
Source: REUTERS/Caren Firouz