Iran

In 2003, AmeriCares responded to a 6.6 magnitude earthquake that struck southeastern Iran's Kerman province. In the immediate days following the disaster, AmeriCares airlifted 77,000 pounds of emergency supplies valued at approximately $5 million to the region.  The shipment included urgently requested items such as tents, blankets, water purification tablets, antibiotics, local anesthetics and analgesics as well as World Health Organization (WHO) New Emergency Health Kits. The epicenter of the earthquake was located near the ancient city of Bam, located roughly 600 miles southeast of Tehran, where over 90% of the buildings were destroyed. The earthquake killed an estimated 26,000 people and injured 50,000 people. 

Due to the overwhelming emergency response in Bam, AmeriCares worked to ensure that its response would target areas and people on the periphery who were not already receiving emergency aid. AmeriCares continues to work with local partners to follow up with assistance to rehabilitate and improve the healthcare system in the earthquake prone region.

Prior to the disaster in 1990, AmeriCares airlifted volunteer doctors and relief supplies to Iran when a 7.7 earthquake rocked the country, leaving nearly 40,000 people dead. This was the first flight to originate from the United States and land on Iranian soil following the Iranian hostage crisis which ended in 1981.