Iran Earthquakes 2012: Death Toll From Temblors Tops 300

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran has raised the death toll from Saturday's twin earthquakes to 306, a day after rescuers called off the search for survivors.

Heath Minister Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi told a session of parliament Monday that the number jumped by about 50 after victims expired in the hospital. More than 3,000 people were injured in the earthquakes.

Scores of aftershocks have coursed through Iran's mountainous northeast since the 6.4 and 6.3 magnitude quakes hit the region, where some 300,000 people live near the borders with Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Iran is located on seismic fault lines and is prone to earthquakes. In 2003, some 26,000 people were killed by a 6.6 magnitude quake that flattened the historic southeastern city of Bam.

Related on HuffPost:

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• Ruins of a house is seen after an earthquake in the city of Varzaqan in northwestern Iran, on Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012. A 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit the towns of Ahar, Haris and Varzaqan in East Azerbaijan province in northwestern Iran on Saturday, state TV said. Iran is located on seismic fault lines and is prone to earthquakes. It experiences at least one earthquake every day on average, although the vast majority are so small they go unnoticed. (AP Photo/Mehr News Agency, Hamed Nazari)

• Ruins of a houses are seen after an earthquake in the city of Varzaqan in northwestern Iran, on Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Mehr News Agency, Hamed Nazari)

• A woman lies injured on a stretcher in a street after an earthquake in the city of Varzaqan in northwestern Iran, on Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Mehr News Agency, Hamed Nazari)

• Residents of the city of Varzaqan sit at the side of a street after an earthquake in northwestern Iran, on Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/IRNA, Kazem Yousefi)

• Medics tend a woman who was injured in an earthquake in the city of Varzaqan in northwestern Iran, on Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/IRNA, Kazem Yousefi)

• A man stretchers a woman who was injured in earthquake in the city of Varzaqan in northwestern Iran, on Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/IRNA, Kazem Yousefi)

• Medics treat an injured man after an earthquake in the city of Varzaqan in northwestern Iran, on Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Mehr News Agency, Ali Hamed Haghdoust)

• A woman talks as she tends her injured loved one after an earthquake in the city of Varzaqan in northwestern Iran, on Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Mehr News Agency, Ali Hamed Haghdoust)

Comments

[subrog8er]

06:52 PM on 08/20/2012

Too bad it didnt take out their nuke facilites and save Israel the trouble.

[Nervousbird]

09:00 PM on 08/18/2012

was the magnitude 6.3? It is very sad. Also, I think it is the sad thing that basically anywhere one goes/lives such risks exist in a flooding, earthquake, mudslide, etc. etc.

[MerchantOfTruth]

11:33 PM on 08/13/2012

A while back there was an article about an Iranian "seismologist" who was talking about how these things happen due to women being "indecent". Wonder if that idiot will blame women for this again?

[MolliBlum]

05:11 AM on 08/14/2012

Oh, every country has its own Pat Robertson.

[Don17000]

09:23 PM on 08/13/2012

This is the reason I am more concerned about Iran developing nuclear power plants than I am about them acquiring nuclear weapons.

They would keep nuclear weapons under tight security. Iran is not an aggressive country, and hasn't been since biblical times. Their military have not attacked another nation preemptively in centuries. They may have used proxies, but they would never entrust nukes to be used by a proxy, since it would leave an indisputable signature of where they got it.

A nuclear reactor could be destroyed by an earthquake, and the fallout could not be controlled. Seismically, they are far more precarious than California or Japan. Unlike California, Iran has had dozens of quakes in the past 30 years of a magnitude greater than 6.0. Thousands have died, many buildings have been toppled and destroyed.

[Iya Sapa Mato]

04:46 PM on 08/13/2012

I would say nothing negative or nasty about those loosing their lives in any natural disaster but there is a disaster coming to their country man made, before our own elections I believe. Many for and against their regime will perish in at least two countries. It is inevitable. One country wants one destroyed and the other wants to not to be threatened, be safe, secure and flurish but one will not let history repeat! Persia (Iran) has always been aggresors in that region for hundreds of past centuries. The entire region will explode!

[kizilbas]

09:03 AM on 08/14/2012

One can blame Russia for being always equally aggressive in this region by sticking its nose to the area (e,g, Caucasus) Russians have had absolutely nothing to do with.
What about Alexander the Great? Who called him to invade Persia just out of greed. HIs Greek cronies were much less advanced in any knowledge of skills than Persians, so he decided to destroy the empire.

[Iya Sapa Mato]

11:05 AM on 08/14/2012

kizilbas They were and are war mongers. I guess you forgot about Xerxes and his father befor him, Darius the great, Thermoplae and the many countries in that region they conquered and destroyed and the taking of our people hostage for almost a year and a half, Their responsible making and the training for the IED killing our troops, supplying arms and personel to terrorist groups and declaring to wipe another country off the face of the earth, the threat of nuclear weapons. Yes Russia and China are involved for their own gain and domance. Forget star wars. They are the evil empire as is their Ayatollah Khamenei!

[reddog9]

04:40 PM on 08/13/2012

I assume we as caring people wil offer aid and comfort to the Iranians during their time of trouble. Other wise we are just plain rotten.

[mclkarim]

05:58 PM on 08/13/2012

No. While I am sorry for them, this country doesn't owe anything to any country who hates our guts. It is their problem and they need to take care of it.

[reddog9]

08:04 PM on 08/13/2012

If you survey the world, lots of countries hate us and we still give them money for various reasons. The citizens of Iran do not hate us. Do not confuse the leaders with the people who have been harmed. We gave Germany and Japan huge amounts of money even though they were our enemies.

[Debbie Hock Wright]

10:58 AM on 08/16/2012

Exactly what I was thinking, why are we not offering help?

[reddog9]

12:46 PM on 08/16/2012

Because we want them to continue to hate us and then we have an excuse to start a war

[Mr Dixieland]

04:15 PM on 08/13/2012

Please tell me how it is a guidline violation if I ask if any Americans or Europeans were hurt? I am an American and it is a concern to me. Compassion is not my strong suit, I am not the Red Cross, I am only asking the question. How could that POSSIBLY be a violation?????

[wakeuprlose]

03:27 PM on 08/13/2012

Too bad it didn't take out their nuke site!

[marakinav]

02:31 PM on 08/13/2012

I hate the oligarchic regime of the mullahs but this time Ι put my hatre aside......
300 DEAD????
who could be heartless seeing the photos of women crying on the ruins??????????? where is our sympathy?where is the respect on human beings??????am very sad!

[Michael D OBrien]

03:06 PM on 08/13/2012

Sanity and compassion, unbeatable combination.
fanned and faved..............

[Mr Dixieland]

04:16 PM on 08/13/2012

Be sad over the 3000 Americans on 9/11

[marakinav]

05:01 PM on 08/13/2012

am the same sad ! 

[muguetdesbois]

02:20 PM on 08/13/2012

Disgraceful comments continue here by hate-filled people who lack any compassion.

The rest of us will continue to uplift all of the innocent children, women and men of this catastrophe in our prayers, and will continue to put our faith into action to help our fellow-man both here and abroad. May God bless them, comfort them, heal them and bring them peace during this time of loss, grief, injury, confusion and sorrow.

Jesus is love and He is without borders.

[HEXYEBO]

04:39 PM on 08/13/2012

the victims of this natural calamity don't need your or anyone's prayers.
In the failed theocracy, Iran they have their bellyful of prayers.
What they need is shelter, blankets, medical attention, food, access to transportation, rescue services.
If you w actually what to help, donate to relevant international organizations.

[muguetdesbois]

05:08 PM on 08/13/2012

1. As I wrote (the part you skipped over) -- prayers and faith coupled with action...it is what God desires and asks.
2. Of course these victims are deserving of prayers and you've no right to deny them that, nor will you succeed.
3. Perhaps you ought to read a person's comment before attacking it, for you suggested something in an ugly fashion which I already wrote, concluding you are just in the mood to be mean & hateful.
Thank you for pausing in contemplation next time around. Take care...

[propackage]

04:42 PM on 08/13/2012

Missed the History class where they talked about the Crusades?

[4daphne]

02:39 PM on 08/13/2012

And that is the kind of attitude that makes this world a lousy place for all of us to live in!

[creddell6]

03:17 PM on 08/13/2012

4daphne --- Get real, they are perfectly capable of burying 300 people, they do it all the time and it's their own people they kill every day........don't be fooled into thinking the Iranians are tiptoing thru the tulips over there...they are as hatefilled as all their neighboring countries. We should absolutely not send them aid for the earthquake! They have money! They sure don't send any aid our way when we need it.....ever.

[Michael D OBrien]

03:08 PM on 08/13/2012

Jesus thinks, you have CHOSEN to be a waste!

[strangervessell]

01:51 PM on 08/13/2012

Obviously this is a terrible tragedy and I am proud that Americans and our government is offering aide to the victims. It would be nice and greatly appreciated if their government and religious leaders would acknowledge our assistance and goodwill..........

[4daphne]

02:25 PM on 08/13/2012

if they did, do you really think you would hear about it? There is to much money to be made by starting another war.

[TeeSC]

02:37 PM on 08/13/2012

Iran is refusing international aid at this time.  

[creddell6]

03:18 PM on 08/13/2012

Good. It shouldn't even be offered.

[Michael D OBrien]

03:20 PM on 08/13/2012

Because Armedinajhad KNOWS they are all spies!
He doesn't even trust Putana![I'm sorry, that's Italian for Putin]

[pcnw]

01:44 PM on 08/13/2012

i just unpacked from a volunteer vacation helping blind children and adults experience the joys of camping in the wilderness. this story is my first read upon returning. i am, again, reminded that there are more here that cannot "see" than were under my care over the last many days. i will not poison my psyche any longer by reading hate and ignorance via dark soul demon rhetoric on these boards. make a difference... volunteer... feed others vs yourselves... it will change your hearts. deep sincere prayers of love sent to all of those in pain from these earthquakes. goodbye, huffpost comment section.

[muguetdesbois]

02:12 PM on 08/13/2012

AMEN!!!!!

[4daphne]

02:13 PM on 08/13/2012

I sure hope you don't believe you are the only person that volunteers to help people. Because I asure you, you are not. I am a little ofended at your holier than thou post.

[muguetdesbois]

02:38 PM on 08/13/2012

I do not see anything implied such as that in pcnw's comment. He or she was just commenting on how deeply sad and most unfortunate all of the hateful comments on this thread are. HP attracts an inordinate amount of very hateful people, and so it is not an emotionally or spiritual positive place to hang out. I do believe the OP was just expressing sadness after enjoying some beautiful days without it, and encouraging others to go out and do something for your fellow-man versus typing ugly, soul-destroying comments. Anyway, that's how I read it.

[pcnw]

04:34 PM on 08/13/2012

in my experience, volunteer work distinguishes the flame of haters. in my experience, volunteer work allows people to see that compassionate assumptions are more real life correct. in my experience, volunteer work tends to alter the tendencies of those that had previously lived lives of being quick to anger and prone to judgement. as a sister in the volunteer corps of this planet, i am sure you understand what i speak of, yes? while i understand that the people spreading paranoia and hate are in pain themselves, it was very clear to me that this is not a healthy place for me to visit. i was bigger-than-the-moon sad about the loss of life spoken of in the article, the number of angry posters using their keyboards as weapons, my inability to keep on keepin' on and ignore the haters, etc. i was bigger-than-the-moon sad about all of this, 4daphne. :-) thank you for the dialogue and allowing me to express myself with more clarity. i know there are many of you that will continue pushing positive and you have nothing but my admiration and respect.

[Richard Aron]

01:30 PM on 08/13/2012

Dave Lindorff, Op-Ed: “Iranians suffering from cancer, MS, kidney disease or other diseases -- many of them children -- are reportedly being prevented from getting needed medicines because of a fear by Israel and its backer, the US, that Iran’s nuclear program might lead in the future to Iran’s developing a nuclear bomb capability, becoming the second nuclear nation in the Middle East, ending Israel’s nuclear monopoly.”

http://www.nationofchange.org/taking-it-out-kids-again-us-sanctions-iran-are-hurting-young-and-sick-1344863756

[Tuigim]

01:27 PM on 08/13/2012

Love and comfort and respect and prayers and hope and hugs to the people of Iran who have suffered so much.

Life will throw tough things at us all. Mother Nature is stronger than all of us.
The majority of people everywhere was peace.
We are passing through this life and we need each other along the way.
No more threats, weapons, or supporting any of these with our votes or our taxes.
Make this our resolution: we will not support violence or arms production in any way.
Let money be used for good and ONLY for good.

This is my favorite image of the Olympics
https://twitter.com/AnDuinnineach/status/234634217068306432/photo/1
American and Iranian athletes are brothers here and it is genuine.
It is iconic mostly because we are taught by the media to hate and fear Iran by all channels especially FOX, the Fear and Malice Channel.

Speak truth and love and only support those who do the same.
Comfort to our brothers and sisters in Iran.