President Pledges Housing Aid for Iran Quake Victims

Speaking to people in Sarpol Zahab -the city hit worst by the temblor- Rouhani stressed national solidarity with the people of Kermanshah, saying all administrative and military forces have joined hands to assist with the rescue and relief operation.

Noting that the earthquake has destroyed 11,000 rural houses and 4,500 urban dwellings, the president said a total of 30,000 houses should be constructed.

He also pledged that the administration would provide loans and financial aid for the residents left homeless in the disaster.

As the rescue and relief operations are nearing completion, officials put the death toll at 435 on Tuesday noon, saying 7,460 others have been injured.

Since Sunday night’s earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale, whose epicenter was southeast of Iraq’s Sulaymaniyah, more than 230 aftershocks have been rattling the province of Kermanshah.

In a message on Monday morning, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei ordered all Iranian officials to rush to help the large number of people affected by the earthquake, and particularly rescue those trapped under rubble in the very first hours after the disaster.