The 7.3 magnitude earthquake that struck on the Iran-Kurdistan Region border has claimed the lives of 432 in Iran and injured 9,397, according to updated official figures released on Thursday.
The death toll is likely to climb as bodies still remain under the rubble and others have been buried without official death certificates.
The Kurdish areas that suffered the most damage were already among the poorest and most disadvantaged in the country. The large scale damage included hundreds of low-quality housing built as part of a government project for low-income families. The president has said they will conduct an investigation into the construction project.
Relief efforts are being led by the Iranian army, including the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC). Iran’s Supreme Leader urged officials to spare no effort in bringing aid, IRNA reported.
But many within the persecuted Kurdish minority have complained that aid is slow or non-existent and the armed forces are abusing the population. The only aid that has made it to some villages has come from ordinary citizens in neighbouring cities and provinces shunning government aid donation drives in favour of collecting and delivering food, water, and warm clothes themselves.
Beautiful scenes coming out from people of Iran while its government proved a huge failure.
— Dâna Nawzar (@DanaNawzar) November 16, 2017
Elderly Kurdish villager brings aid to the people affected by the earthquake on his mule. People welcome him with applauses. pic.twitter.com/K1qLZHL926
Watch what this little girl does for the victims of the earthquake in the Kurdish region of western Iran. She is from Sheno (Oshnavieh) city #Kurdistan pic.twitter.com/6FkL6WM4zu
— Fazel Hawramy (@FazelHawramy) November 14, 2017
Iran has refused international offers of aid, with the foreign minister saying that they have sufficient resources to handle the crisis.
The Iranian Red Crescent stated that they are able to meet needs for the “current emergency phase” with just national resources and other internal organizations, but given the extent of the damage would welcome international assistance during next phases of “transitional relief, rehabilitation and recovery.”
