Charles visits quake-ravaged city

The Prince of Wales witnessed the devastation left behind by the powerful earthquake which struck the Iranian city of Bam.

Charles travelled to the ancient dwellings to see the extent of the damage and meet aid workers battling to help survivors.

He saw how entire families were wiped out as their homes collapsed around them.

Walking through the dusty roads lined with piles of rubbish from the flattened houses in Baravat on the outskirts of the city, Charles passed rows of tents where local people had been forced to use as makeshift accommodation.

He saw huge gaping holes in the streets where the ground had collapsed during the quake into old underground water canals which feed the city's date trees.

Near the doorways of the Red Crescent handout tents, people cooked in pots on the floor while children kicked footballs and played as they attempted to carry on as normal.

In the nearby orchard where dates are normally harvested, one woman told the prince she was left with nothing when her house crumbled, killing her son.

Fatemah Ghorbani, who stood in the entrance of her canvas tent, said: "There are six of us who live here. It's very cold at night. I lost a son in the earthquake and my house is ruined."

A 50-year-old said afterwards to an interpreter that 200 of her friends and relatives had died in the tragedy.

"Just the trees are left for me, I only had one home and now it's destroyed."

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