TEHRAN — In separate telephone conversations with the provincial governor of Khuzestan and the local governor of Andika on Sunday, President Ebrahim Raisi followed up on the situation of the earthquake victims and issued orders to expedite relief and reconstruction efforts.

In the phone calls, Raisi pointed to the approaching winter and the impassability of the roads in the area, emphasizing the need to shelter victims and accelerate the reconstruction of damaged houses.

He also emphasized that the reconstruction process must be done quickly.

The president also ordered the Housing Foundation to follow the issue and rebuild the houses that have suffered damages.

Two rather strong earthquakes happened within an interval of five days. According to Tasnim, the first one happened in border between Khuzestan and Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari provinces on October 4. The second one happened October 9.

The October 4 earthquake measured 5.7 on the Richter scale. It happened on 6:9 AM local time. The October 9 quake happened at 2:46 AM with a magnitude 5. It shook the city and villages of Qala-e-Khajeh near the city of Andika, destroying some houses, president.ir reported. 

Qalibaf tasks Parliament Civil Committee to take necessary measures 

Parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf also on Sunday called for an urgent action to rebuild houses damaged in the villages of between Khuzestan and Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari provinces.

"I need to mention the two recent earthquakes in the Koohrang city of Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari province and Andika in Khuzestan province. The quake caused significant damage, with about 800 homes in Bazaft severely damaged and 400 nomadic families facing commute problems, according to a report by the representatives."

Qalibaf added: "130 villages in Andika have been damaged and the percentage of destruction in 30 villages is high, considering that the people of these deprived areas were facing more living problems and these incidents have aggravated the problems and paying attention to the upcoming winter season is necessary for the administration to address the people's problems and provide them with the necessary necessities and to compensate the damage to houses, schools, health centers, and livestock."

The speaker tasked the Civil Committee of the parliament to take necessary measures for the rapid reconstruction of the quake-hit villages and the full opening of transportation routes and solving the problems of the nomads.