On December 26 2003,5.26 Iran standard time,an earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale hit Bam, Iran. This earthquake occured as the result of the stressesgenerated by the moving of the Arabian plate northward against the Eurasian plate at a rate of approximately 3 cm per year. This earthquake was particularly destructive as with a death toll amounting to 26,271and injuring another 30,000. The effects the earthquake and the damage was exacerbated by the fact that the city chiefly consisted of mud brick buildings, many which did not comply with the earthquake regulationsset in Iran in 1989, and that most of the city's people were indoors and asleep.
Due to the earthquake, relations between the United States and Iran thawed. Following the earthquake, the U.S. offered direct assistance to Iran and in return the state promised to comply with an agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency which supports greater monitoring of its nuclear interests. In total, a reported 44 countries sent in personnel to assist in relief operations and 60 countries offered assistance.
Scientists cannot be ready for these kind of natural disasters as there is no exact way to predict where a natural disaster will strike.However, scientists have a machine called a seismograph that can measure shock waves given out by earthquakes. By studying this, scientists were able to locate the epicentre of an earthquake and it is clear that the majority were concentrated along specific lines.Scientists have concluded that the earthquake zones correspond to the places where tectonic plates meet.
I feel that the government should be quick in responding to the survivals of the earthquake quickly. Relief efforts should be sent out to the survivors immediately as disease like Typhiod and Tetanus will spread rapidly and may take more lives after an earthquake
Acknowledgements:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bam,_Iran
Acknowledgements:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bam,_Iran
Geological Change by Denise Walker
