MAYOR HAHN EXPRESSES CONDOLENCES TO IRAN EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS; PLEDGES CITY HELP TO REBUILD BAM

Mayor Jim Hahn today expressed his condolences to the people of Bam, Iran, who suffered a devastating earthquake on Friday. The Mayor also pledged the City of Los Angeles? help in rebuilding Bam, which had a population of 80,000 last week.

?While Los Angeles has been through many earthquakes, we ? thankfully ? have never been witness to the kind of destruction and loss of life that Iran experienced last week,? Mayor Hahn said. ?But the people of this city have been greatly affected by the tragedy in Bam.! Not only have we all been moved by the images on our television screens, but this city is home to an Iranian community of a quarter million, and my heart goes out to the many people here in Los Angeles who have been directly affected by this earthquake and have lost loved ones. ?I have offered aid and personnel to the government of Iran, and I want to reiterate my pledge that the City of Los Angeles stands ready to do anything we can to rebuild Bam and help its people put their lives back together.?

The Mayor also relayed to Los Angeles? Iranian community that the Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles is helping people find loved ones who live in the Bam area. The Red Cross has experts on the ground in Bam and is working closely with local relief agencies. The Red Cross may be reached at 213-739-4519.

An earthquake that registered 6.6 on the Richter scale hit Bam on Friday. At least 28,000 people were ki! lled and at least 12,000 people were injured.