Caritas convoy of supplies reaches earthquake-struck Iranian city

Published: 2004-01-14

ROME (CNS) -- A convoy of trucks laden with emergency relief supplies from Catholic aid groups reached the earthquake-struck city of Bam in southeastern Iran Jan. 13 after a three-day journey from the capital, Tehran. Caritas Internationalis -- a worldwide confederation of Catholic relief, development and social services organizations -- and the Catholic Church in Iran helped get the urgently needed items such as heaters, blankets, clothes and food to hundreds of survivors in a small village near Bam. A powerful quake hit Bam and surrounding villages early Dec. 26 when most people were home asleep. The earthquake left at least 30,000 people dead, thousands more injured and tens of thousands of people homeless. Most of the residents lived in simple structures made of clay brick, which were reduced to dust and rubble. "We are unloading six trucks today as we wait for four more trucks to come this afternoon," said Charles Khater, one of six people Caritas Internationalis sent as part of its emergency response team.

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