At least 250 have been killed and more than two thousand injured after earthquakes in north-west Iran.
The earthquakes, of 6.4 and 6.3 magnitude on the richter scale, struck on Saturday afternoon near the major city of Tabriz . Relief operations are now underway.
One man searching for survivors, Alireza Haidaree, told news agency AFP that the village of Baje Baj had become a "mass grave."
"There are so many other villages that have been completely destroyed," he said.
Tahir Sadati, a local photographer, told Reuters: "I saw some people whose entire home was destroyed, and all their livestock killed,"
"People need help, they need warm clothes, more tents, blankets and bread."
According to Reuters, there have been more than 60 aftershocks.
The BBC reports that the hospital in Tabriz has been struggling to cope with the huge toll of injured people. They report 66 rescue teams have been sent to the area.
The official IRNA news agency said rescue workers were still trying to free people from the rubble "Since some people are in a critical condition and rescue workers are still trying to rescue people from under the rubble, unfortunately it is possible for the number of casualties to rise."
Foreign office minister Alistair Burt said in a statement on Sunday: "Yesterday’s earthquakes in north-west Iran have caused considerable destruction and have resulted in terrible loss of life. We send our deepest condolences to the people of Iran at this difficult time. Our thoughts are with them, particularly during this holy month of Ramadan”
In 2003 an earthquake in Bam, Iran of 6.6 magnitude killed more than 25,000.
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The Huffington Post UK | By Dina Rickman Posted: 12/08/2012 16:42 Updated: 12/08/2012 16:42