Bam Bam EarthquakeEarthquake

26th December 2003

Bam Earthquake

• 26th December 2003• 5am in the morning• 6.8 on the Richter scale• Epicentre in Bam• Arabian Plate moving northwards against

the Eurasian Plate at a rate of 3cm a year

• Over 80% of the buildings were destroyed in the city of Bam.

• The death toll reached 26,271 which was more than half the total population of 43,000

• More than 500 people were still missing 3 months later.

• In just 10 seconds the city crumbled to dust and rubble with thousands left homeless.

• In all more than 40 countries sent aid to Bam immediately after the quake.

• Long Term

• a tented city and field hospital had been built to house the survivors.

• UN agencies set up water points and were distributing a regular food supply.

• The long term cost is estimated at $1 billion. $30 million of this was needed to restore the cities health service.

Short term response

The Future More attention needs to be paid to building regulations

and the houses should be built on solid ground. Those

buildings that survived the quake need to be made

earthquake proof, which is expensive