3. - usaid

Ministry of Land Reform and
Rural Cooperatives flew to
Khorassan to assess the needs
of the farmers and see what
assistance they could give them.
The Shah and &press began their
tour of afflicted areas on
September 4. Following the tour,
the Govement of Iran ordered
that a six-month supply of food
be maintained to help the victims.
Several days after the quake,
Prime Ninister Hoveyda reported
to the Shah that rescuers were
abandoning attempts to recover
more bodies because of the
danger of epidemics . Bulldozer>s
were ordered tolevel the ruins, crudely entombing the dead beneath them.
By September 7, the rubble in KaW7, Dasht-e-Biaz and Khezri was being
cleared.
News reports of September 4 referred to remarks by His Imperial Majesty that
under no conditions was mdbrick constmction to be used in rebuilding
homes. He ordered new towns built, land grants to fanners, and the formation
of joint stock agricultural companies in areas struck by the
earthquakes.
Five teams were sent to the destroyed towns and villages to work on plans
for reconstruction. They were told to consider possibilities of securing
land for villagers in new areas where victims could be organized into farm
corporations.
The Government of Iran Planning Organization allocated credits amountirtg
to 500 million rials ($6.6 million) for rebuilding stricken areas.
Areas now under construction are Ferdows, Gonabad, Bidokht, and the
village of Ostad. The Govements of Morocco, India, and Netherlands
contributed to the reconstruction costs of Ferdows -and Ostad. As of
June 1969, Kakh was still a tent city. A new village will be constructed
at Kakh at a site already chosen adjacent to the destroyed area. The
Ministry of Housing to develop a housing project there similar to
those now under construction in the Gonabad and Ferdows areas.
The houses now being built are single-story, either two, three, or four
room brick wlits, with steel reinforced doors and window frames, and
placed on five-inch concrete foundations. Each unit will have a small
outside garden, electricity, and water faucets, as well as sewage outlets
for adapting for use by their owners. Blueprints for the areas include