When an earthquake leveled the ancient Iranian city of Bam in 2003, for instance, more than 26, 000 people were essentially crushed by their own homes.

The devastation already discovered by rescue teams exceeds that seen in the earthquake that hit the Iranian city of Bam exactly a year earlier, in which 31,000 died and 100,000 were left homeless.

The devastation already discovered by rescue teams exceeds that seen in the earthquake that hit the Iranian city of Bam exactly a year earlier, in which 31, 000 died and 100, 000 were left homeless.