Crowded orphanages tell grim tale of deadly quake

KERMAN, Iran - Six-year-old Atefeh Razmi plays with a puzzle in the children's care center, waiting for her parents to come pick her up. "They will come see me soon," she says, smiling.

But like the 80 other children at the Kermanian Nursery Center, Atefeh is newly orphaned: Her parents were among the more than 28,000 people killed in southeast Iran's earthquake. An estimated 1,500 children have been recovered without family.

Five days after Friday's 6.6-magnitude quake, Iran's orphanages are filling as aid workers deliver young survivors to the provincial capital, Kerman, 120 miles northwest of the devastated city of Bam.

Amid the loss and grief, Wednesday brought a moment of joy: Government officials reported that two men and two women were pulled alive from the rubble, after rescuers had all but given up hope of finding more survivors. Normally, people trapped under collapsed buildings can survive three days, a deadline that expired Monday morning.

"It's a miracle," Mohammad Nickam of the Health Ministry said. Deputy Health Minister Mohammed Akbari said the four survivors were in "relatively good condition."

At the orphanage, a nurse told another tale of hope, about a baby born the day the earthquake hit. The girl's father was killed in the quake. Her mother suffered a broken back and other severe injuries and died moments after giving birth.

"She never saw her mom," said nurse Zahra Mirnajafi, tears rolling down her cheeks.

The nurse named the infant Mahdieh after the eighth century imam Al Mehdi, who Shiites believe will return as a messiah. According to legend, Al Mehdi's mother also died after giving birth.

Mostly, the nurses talk about their need for more help to care for the growing number of needy orphans.

"Mister, hug me," a 2-year-old cried out to a visitor.

"Hold me," said another, as groups of children stretched out their arms to or clamped on the legs of passing adults.

Iran's government says the quake killed at least 28,000 people, but the number of those still buried in the ruins of Bam remained unclear. A U.N. report that cited government figures said the death toll by Tuesday was at least 33,000. The report also said that 30,000 people were injured, up from earlier official figures of 12,000.

Aid workers on Wednesday rushed tons of newly delivered blankets, medical supplies and generators to survivors, rushing to prevent an outbreak of diseases like typhoid or cholera.

A team of 80 U.S. medical specialists set up a field hospital in Bam, joining aid teams from more than 20 countries. The Americans received a rare welcome in Iran, a country where where hard-liners routinely burn American flags at rallies.

U.S. team leader Bill Garvelink met several Iranian ministers on Tuesday. He said the meetings were probably the first between American and Iranian officials in Iran since the United States cut diplomatic ties after radical students seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took hostages in 1979.

"We don't focus on political issues," said Garvelink, downplaying the diplomatic significance of the meetings. President Mohammad Khatami thanked Washington on Tuesday but said the aid did nothing to change frosty political ties.

The Bush administration eased restrictions on assistance to Iran. Blanket licenses are being issued to permit American firms and individuals to transfer funds to Iran. It is illegal to transfer funds because of sanctions on Tehran, dating to 1979.

"Getting aid to those so greatly affected by this devastating earthquake is a top priority," Treasury Secretary John Snow said.

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