'Unfathomable' sorrow and pain in Iran

World Vision to airlift supplies to meet emergency shelter, water, cooking needs

For Immediate Release
December 30, 2003

SEATTLE – A senior World Vision relief official is in Bam, site of a devastating December 26 earthquake, which killed tens of thousands and leveled most of this ancient southeastern Iran city. The international humanitarian organization is responding with an initial $600,000 earthquake relief program, including two airlifts this week.

Ton van Zutphen, World Vision’s regional relief director, said relief agencies are working hard to provide basic survival needs for more than 100,000 quake survivors – most homeless in freezing, sometimes snowy, weather.

And traumatized.

On his flight from Teheran to Bam, van Zutphen said he sat next to a 70-year old man who did not stop crying the entire flight. "Like so many people, he lost his entire family, including his wife and sisters,” said van Zutphen. “The sorrow and pain is so unfathomable"

Like most of Bam’s surviving residents, van Zutphen is sleeping out of doors, though he considers himself fortunate to have been able to buy a tent.

World Vision’s first airlift will depart Brindisi, Italy tomorrow, and will include 14,010 blankets, 3,000 tarps and 15,000 water containers. A second shipment of 520 winter tents, 48 kerosene stoves and 48 kerosene lamps will be airlifted from Dubai on Thursday. Also under consideration is a third airlift, containing other relief supplies typically needed following earthquakes: food, medicine, family survival kits, medical and hygienic kits and water purification materials.

Anyone wishing to donate may click here, or phone toll-free (888) 56-CHILD or, in Spanish, call toll-free (888) 511-6566, or send donations to Iran Quake Relief, P.O. Box 70288, Tacoma, Wash. 98481-0288.