US medics help survivors in Iran quake city

The Stars and Stripes received a rare welcome in Iran yesterday as US medics joined efforts to help survivors of an earthquake that killed at least 30,000 people.

Medics and the Iranian army said at least five more people, including an 80-year-old woman, had been pulled alive from the rubble in the last two days in the worst-hit ancient Silk Road city of Bam, 1,000 kilometres southeast of Tehran.

But officials have said the death toll from one of the worst disasters of recent decades may climb to 50,000 and most rescue teams have abandoned the search for more survivors. UN officials said about 40,000 people were now left in Bam - most spending the bitterly cold nights in tents - out of an original population of 103,000. The remainder were either dead, missing, in hospital or had left town.

The 80-strong US team of medics and relief experts arrived in Iran on Sunday and reached Bam on Tuesday evening.

"For Americans to come here and help us in such a situation, I really appreciate it and all Iranians appreciate it," said Shi'ite Muslim cleric Sheikh Ahmad Faiz, as US relief workers erected a tent bearing a large US flag.

The US government broke ties with Tehran shortly after the 1979 Islamic revolution and the American flag is routinely burned during official anti-US demonstrations.

Marty Bahamonde, spokesman for US disaster relief body the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said the lack of diplomatic ties had slowed things up but his team had been warmly received.

"At every stop, they have opened their hearts," he said. Aid trucks made regular tours through the ravaged city distributing water, blankets and food. Red Crescent workers manned makeshift pharmacy stalls on street corners.