President Approves Plan To Double Assistance For Quake-stricken People: Minister

Tabriz, E. Azarbaijan Prov, Aug 13, IRNA – Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said here on Sunday that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad approved the plan to double governmental assistance to the quake-stricken people in Varzagn and Ahar, northwest Iran. Addressing a session of the provincial Natural Disasters Headquarters held in Heris, he added that the president has issued necessary orders for accelerating dispatch of relief supply to the quake-stricken people and reconstruction of the areas. He also noted that the president momentarily pursues the situation in the areas. Najjar also said that First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi and Economy Minister Shamsaddin Hosseini will visit the quake-stricken zones to estimate the damage sustained by the areas. A powerful earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale on Saturday jolted northwest Iran killing at least 300 people and injuring 2,000./end