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66 dead in Iran quake

Villages wiped out, rescue work on

BRUJERD (Iran): At least 66 persons were killed when a powerful earthquake struck western Iran before dawn on Friday, wiping out villages and sending panicked residents fleeing from their homes.

Another 1,246 persons were injured in the quake in the province of Lorestan with a magnitude of 6, Lorestan Governor Mohammad Reza Mohseni Sani was quoted as saying on state television.

Brujerd was hit the hardest. The quake left 45 persons dead there and another 1,025 people injured.

``The successive aftershocks are still keeping the people on the streets. Search and rescue is going on, and people are waiting to receive their tents, blankets, and food,'' an AFP photographer here said.

The photographer added that people were using whatever tools were available to dig up loved ones and belongings.

``We stayed outside after the second tremor, but 14 of my relatives went inside since they could not tolerate the cold weather and some of them wanted to get ready for the morning prayers,'' 58-year-old Akram Jafari said, wiping dirt mixed with tears from her face.

``I kept telling them to wait longer,'' she said, breaking down as relatives tried to console her.

Interior Minister Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi told state news agency IRNA that he did not expect any major rise in the number of the casualties.

``Since people were warned before by two smaller quakes, I do not expect the number of dead to surpass 80,'' he said.

United States President George W. Bush offered aid. Speaking after a summit with Mexican and Canadian leaders, Mr. Bush told a press conference in Cancun: ``First, I do want to offer my country's assistance to the people affected by the recent earthquake.

``We obviously have differences with the Iranian Government but we do care about the suffering of Iranian people.''

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