On December 26, 2003, the city of Bam in southern Iran was hit with a devastating quake. About 32,000 people lost their lives as the quake flattened 70% of Bam’s buildings and equally devastated the nearby town of Baravat and 260 area villages. Tens of thousands more lost their livelihoods. Ten years later, the shadow of the quake still hangs over the city of Bam.
These photos show the dire situation of people who live in the margins of Bam. Before the 2003 earthquake, these people lived in low-income homes that lacked proper documentation. After the earthquake, the owners lacked the funds to apply for documents and to apply for funds to rebuild their homes. So these residents of Bam were excluded from quake relief funds, and they continue to live in very poor conditions.
Photos by Rahim Baniasad Zad, ISNA