A small example of infrastructure weakness and the inefficiency of the domestic relief system, as recounted by Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani regarding the Bam earthquake.

Friday, December 26, 2003At 5:28 AM, unfortunately, a destructive earthquake devastated the city of Bam. Initially, the magnitude was reported as 6.3 on the Richter scale, but foreign centers later reported it as stronger.In Iran, seismic officials stated that while it was 6.3 on the local magnitude scale ($M_L$), it reached 7.2 on the surface-wave magnitude scale ($M_s$). As of 10:00 PM, no precise statistics on casualties or destruction have been provided.Estimates of up to 20,000 deaths have been mentioned; however, it has only been officially announced that 2,000 bodies have been buried so far, and the injured are being transferred to other cities.Reports indicate that 70% of Bam has been destroyed, and the situation in the surrounding villages is dire. Electricity, water, gas, and telecommunications have all been cut off, though they are being gradually restored. The Citadel of Bam (Arg-e Bam) has also been severely damaged. The weather is cold, and frequent aftershocks are preventing people from returning to the remaining buildings.