Action by Churches Together (ACT)
Alert - Iran - 1/2002
Iran hit by strong earthquake
Geneva, June 22, 2002


At least 400 people have been killed after an earthquake measuring at
least 6.0 on the Richter Scale caused widespread destruction in
north-western Iran. The quake hit early on Saturday, June 22, at about
7:30 a.m. local time. More than a 1,000 people are believed to have been
injured.

According to news reports, at least 52 villages were jolted in rugged hill
country between the Iranian cities of Qazvin and Hamadan, around 220 km
(140 miles) west of Tehran. Reports say that most of the deaths occurred
in the town of Bou'n-Zahra, the epicentre of the quake. Several other
villages are also reported to have been destroyed. Rescue teams and relief
workers have rushed to the stricken region.

The ACT Co-ordinating Office is in touch with ACT member Middle East
Council of Churches (MECC), which works in the region and is monitoring
the situation. As soon as more information is available, the ACT CO will
update the ACT alliance.

Thank you for your attention.

For further information please contact:

ACT Communications Officers: Callie Long (mobile phone ++41 79 358 3171)

and Rainer Lang (mobile phone ++ 41 79 681 1868)

ACT Appeals Officer, Leila Dzaferovic) (phone +41 22 791 6710 or mobile
phone ++41 79 757 9206)


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Action by Churches Together (ACT) is a worldwide alliance of churches and
their related agencies, meeting human need through co-ordinated emergency
response.  The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of
Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.
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   Ecumenical Centre                          Phone: ++41-22-791.60.33
   150, route de Ferney                         Fax: ++41-22-791.65.06
   P.O. Box 2100                             E-Mail: act@wcc-coe.org
   1211 Geneva 2                              Telex: 415 730 OIK CH
   Switzerland                                 http://www.act-intl.org


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