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CNN Saturday Morning News
Life Goes on in City of Bam in Iran
Aired January 03, 2004 - 07:48 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.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There are wire reports this morning that a woman has been pulled free from the wreckage in Bam, Iran. This, a full eight days after a massive earthquake devastated the area. The woman is about 60 years old. She was found in good condition despite the long odds of surviving so long after the earthquake.
Meanwhile, Iran has rejected an offer by the U.S. to send a humanitarian delegation to help with earthquake recovery. Senator Elizabeth Dole, who would have headed the group, says she hopes such a trip will still be possible. Later, a spokesman for President Bush says Iran's decision is understandable since it's trying to deal with the effects of the quake that killed more than 30,000 people.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The devastation is visible as far as the eye can see, but for the earthquake survivors, life goes on. And four new lives are being celebrated today in the ancient city of Bam.
Kasra Naji has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KASRA NAJI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Today, a American medical team in Bam and all those involved has been a morale booster like no other. They delivered four perfect babies overnight. This American doctor delivered all four.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's something that I will never forget for the rest of my life, just the tremendous -- it's just been tremendously wonderful here.
NAJI: His name will be Abbas (ph), his mother, Kuprah (ph), told me. Kuprah says she survived for three days under the rubble before she was brought out. Her husband died in the earthquake. She and the baby don't even have a tent to go to now. The plan is to stay with relatives in a nearby village.
Kuprah's sister, Nosrat (ph), is full of praise for the Americans. "It's tremendous that the Americans were here," she says. "If not, the mother's blood pressure had gone so high we were so worried. These Americans have been so kind to us. I thank them," she says.
The four babies, two girls and two boys, were delivered all in a 12 hour period. This mother is already being discharged.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's incredible. I know that the entire staff is joyful in everything that's happened. And it really brings home the importance of why we're here.
NAJI: Americans in Iran have been a success so far, already generating a lot of good will.
(on camera): The Iranian authorities are playing down the significance of the presence of the Americans here. But few doubt that their presence will have an important impact on the perception of Americans here.
Kasra Naji, CNN, Bam, southern Iran.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 January 3, 2004 - 07:48 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There are wire reports this morning that a woman has been pulled free from the wreckage in Bam, Iran. This, a full eight days after a massive earthquake devastated the area. The woman is about 60 years old. She was found in good condition despite the long odds of surviving so long after the earthquake.
Meanwhile, Iran has rejected an offer by the U.S. to send a humanitarian delegation to help with earthquake recovery. Senator Elizabeth Dole, who would have headed the group, says she hopes such a trip will still be possible. Later, a spokesman for President Bush says Iran's decision is understandable since it's trying to deal with the effects of the quake that killed more than 30,000 people.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The devastation is visible as far as the eye can see, but for the earthquake survivors, life goes on. And four new lives are being celebrated today in the ancient city of Bam.
Kasra Naji has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KASRA NAJI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Today, a American medical team in Bam and all those involved has been a morale booster like no other. They delivered four perfect babies overnight. This American doctor delivered all four.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's something that I will never forget for the rest of my life, just the tremendous -- it's just been tremendously wonderful here.
NAJI: His name will be Abbas (ph), his mother, Kuprah (ph), told me. Kuprah says she survived for three days under the rubble before she was brought out. Her husband died in the earthquake. She and the baby don't even have a tent to go to now. The plan is to stay with relatives in a nearby village.
Kuprah's sister, Nosrat (ph), is full of praise for the Americans. "It's tremendous that the Americans were here," she says. "If not, the mother's blood pressure had gone so high we were so worried. These Americans have been so kind to us. I thank them," she says.
The four babies, two girls and two boys, were delivered all in a 12 hour period. This mother is already being discharged.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's incredible. I know that the entire staff is joyful in everything that's happened. And it really brings home the importance of why we're here.
NAJI: Americans in Iran have been a success so far, already generating a lot of good will.
(on camera): The Iranian authorities are playing down the significance of the presence of the Americans here. But few doubt that their presence will have an important impact on the perception of Americans here.
Kasra Naji, CNN, Bam, southern Iran.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
