Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, UN High Commissioner Of HR Condole Iran On Quake Disaster

Tehran, Aug 16, IRNA – Brazilian, Mexican and Venezuelan government and United Nations high commissioner for human rights in separate messages on Wednesday expressed condolences over the deaths caused by quake in northwest Iran. According to the Information and Press Bureau of Foreign Ministry, Hugo Chavez sympathized with the Iranian nation and government over the disaster. He voiced his country’s readiness to render assistance to the people affected by the earthquake. Brazilin and Mexican foreign ministries issued separate statements of condolence to Iranian government and nation as well as the bereaved families on the sad occasion. UN high commissioner for human rights, Navi Pillay condoled the Iranian nation and government on the quake in East Azarbaijan, northwest Iran. A couple of strong quakes, measuring 6.4 and 6.3 on the Richter scale struck East Azarbaijan province on Saturday at 15:53 local time (1123 GMT). The tremors destroyed villages around the towns of Ahar, Varzaqan, and Herees near the provincial capital of Tabriz. Thousands of people were forced to remain outdoors as at least 20 aftershocks rocked the area. The natural disaster has also afflicted the area with an estimated four billion dollars in damages. Iran sits on several fault lines and is frequently hit by earthquakes. An estimated 40,000 people were killed in 2003 when a temblor flattened the city of Bam in the southern province of Kerman./end