A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck on the morning of Dec. 26, 2003 devastating the historic city of Bam, in southeastern Iran. The city center, an ancient Citadel constructed with mud bricks, was destroyed by the temblor. The death toll reached 40,000.

The tragedy brought about a swift international response, with nations from around the world contributing to the response and recovery effort. The United States sent an emergency medical team hailing from Boston and a search and rescue team from Virginia. The links below are a summary of print media coverage chronicling their efforts.

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