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CNN Saturday Morning News
Interview with Journalist Shirzad Bozorghmehr
Aired December 27, 2003 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HOLLY FIRFER, CNN ANCHOR: The scope of the earthquake in southern Iran is so vast it's impossible right now to get an accurate measure of that disaster.
And joining us by phone from Tehran is journalist Shirzad Bozorghmehr. Shirzad, what can you tell us about any more people being discovered under the rubble? Do you think there's people still trapped and alive?
SHIRZAD BOZORGHMEHR, JOURNALIST (on phone): There are some people still trapped and alive, but there's no way we can say how many, obviously. There is so much confusion that the authorities here cannot even get their act together of coming up with a figure about the fatalities. The interior ministry yesterday said that 20,000 people have been killed. About two hours ago, the same ministry said that is not true, only 5,000 to 7,000 people have been killed.
And now a few minutes ago, the Agence France Press, AFP, is quoting the Iran's health minister as saying 70,000 in the city of Bam may have been killed or injured, which is a whole lot long -- bigger, larger number than previously talked about.
So due to the circumstances, understandably, it is very hard to come up with accurate figures of the dead and injured. But the point is that the rescue mission keeps going on. There are rescue teams coming in from all over the world, from Europe, all -- most countries in Europe and Russia, several other countries, from Portugal. They're sending in sniffer dogs, rescue teams, specialized teams for rescue operations.
And the hope is that they will get to the city of Bam on time to save some lives.
FIRFER: It's my understanding that even the hospitals were destroyed, and there's some 30,000 people who are still injured. Where are those people being cared for right now?
BOZORGHMEHR: Some of them have been transferred to other cities, to the city of Tehrman (ph), the capital of the province. Some have been sent to the southern city in Shiraq (ph), some are being sent to the capital, Tehran. And several cities and villages around where the earthquake had not done any damage, people are being -- injured, the lightly injured, are being sent there. Others are being transferred to major cities with hospitals that would take care of them. The roads are clogged up because a lot of people with relatives and friends are trying to go in and find out about them. It's making rescue operations kind of difficult. But on the positive side, the people who do go to the city of Bam, regardless of what they want and what they're after, they roll their sleeves up and start digging and helping everybody else.
FIRFER: And I would imagine, with finding so many bodies and -- that health officials might fear some kind of epidemic. Are they telling people to take precautions in that area, those who are helping in this effort?
BOZORGHMEHR: Yes, they are. And this is why the -- one of the first requests they've made from the international community was for antiseptics and for medicine that would prevent the spread of any kind of disease under such circumstances.
FIRFER: And obviously it's very cold in the evening there. Those who are still in the city, obviously the structures there are destroyed. Is there -- are there temporary shelters? Where are most people sleeping, where are they staying?
BOZORGHMEHR: They are staying in tents where they are available. Some people, I heard that they were staying in the ruins of their own houses or other people's houses, wherever they could. There were some unconfirmed reports of some people having perished from the cold last night, which went to 9 degrees -- minus 9 degrees Centigrade.
But I could not confirm that. This was just what -- I was told that, and I could not corroborate it.
The situation is extremely grave. Time is of the essence. And the authorities are doing their best to reach the people who are, hopefully, still alive under the rubble and get them out. But it is not easy, because they -- the roads are all clogged up, and they are short of equipment, digging equipment and road-building equipment that could clear the roads and get the cars in and out of the city, all parts of the city, carrying the injured.
FIRFER: Shirzad Bozorghmehr with the update on the devastation in Iran. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 27, 2003 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HOLLY FIRFER, CNN ANCHOR: The scope of the earthquake in southern Iran is so vast it's impossible right now to get an accurate measure of that disaster.
And joining us by phone from Tehran is journalist Shirzad Bozorghmehr. Shirzad, what can you tell us about any more people being discovered under the rubble? Do you think there's people still trapped and alive?
SHIRZAD BOZORGHMEHR, JOURNALIST (on phone): There are some people still trapped and alive, but there's no way we can say how many, obviously. There is so much confusion that the authorities here cannot even get their act together of coming up with a figure about the fatalities. The interior ministry yesterday said that 20,000 people have been killed. About two hours ago, the same ministry said that is not true, only 5,000 to 7,000 people have been killed.
And now a few minutes ago, the Agence France Press, AFP, is quoting the Iran's health minister as saying 70,000 in the city of Bam may have been killed or injured, which is a whole lot long -- bigger, larger number than previously talked about.
So due to the circumstances, understandably, it is very hard to come up with accurate figures of the dead and injured. But the point is that the rescue mission keeps going on. There are rescue teams coming in from all over the world, from Europe, all -- most countries in Europe and Russia, several other countries, from Portugal. They're sending in sniffer dogs, rescue teams, specialized teams for rescue operations.
And the hope is that they will get to the city of Bam on time to save some lives.
FIRFER: It's my understanding that even the hospitals were destroyed, and there's some 30,000 people who are still injured. Where are those people being cared for right now?
BOZORGHMEHR: Some of them have been transferred to other cities, to the city of Tehrman (ph), the capital of the province. Some have been sent to the southern city in Shiraq (ph), some are being sent to the capital, Tehran. And several cities and villages around where the earthquake had not done any damage, people are being -- injured, the lightly injured, are being sent there. Others are being transferred to major cities with hospitals that would take care of them. The roads are clogged up because a lot of people with relatives and friends are trying to go in and find out about them. It's making rescue operations kind of difficult. But on the positive side, the people who do go to the city of Bam, regardless of what they want and what they're after, they roll their sleeves up and start digging and helping everybody else.
FIRFER: And I would imagine, with finding so many bodies and -- that health officials might fear some kind of epidemic. Are they telling people to take precautions in that area, those who are helping in this effort?
BOZORGHMEHR: Yes, they are. And this is why the -- one of the first requests they've made from the international community was for antiseptics and for medicine that would prevent the spread of any kind of disease under such circumstances.
FIRFER: And obviously it's very cold in the evening there. Those who are still in the city, obviously the structures there are destroyed. Is there -- are there temporary shelters? Where are most people sleeping, where are they staying?
BOZORGHMEHR: They are staying in tents where they are available. Some people, I heard that they were staying in the ruins of their own houses or other people's houses, wherever they could. There were some unconfirmed reports of some people having perished from the cold last night, which went to 9 degrees -- minus 9 degrees Centigrade.
But I could not confirm that. This was just what -- I was told that, and I could not corroborate it.
The situation is extremely grave. Time is of the essence. And the authorities are doing their best to reach the people who are, hopefully, still alive under the rubble and get them out. But it is not easy, because they -- the roads are all clogged up, and they are short of equipment, digging equipment and road-building equipment that could clear the roads and get the cars in and out of the city, all parts of the city, carrying the injured.
FIRFER: Shirzad Bozorghmehr with the update on the devastation in Iran. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
