RESCUE workers are still searching into the night for survivors in the ancient city of Bam, one day after a devastating earthquake struck south-eastern Iran, leaving over 50, 000 dead and many more injured.

A senior World Vision relief official is in Bam assessing the needs of quake survivors. Tens of thousands are homeless in freezing weather. "The focus has shifted from ‘search and rescue’ to providing food, water, and shelter to the people who are living on the streets," said Ton Van Zutphen, World Vision’s regional relief director.

"The pain and the grief is so obvious and surrounds you everywhere," noted Van Zutphen. "The devastation is so extensive, a whole city is in rubble. But the solidarity among the people and the aid workers is great". As international aid has already begun, homeless residents of the shattered city are huddling in donated tents and blankets as temperatures fell to near-freezing. In the meantime, an Indian Air Force plane ferrying relief supplies to quake-hit Bam flew over Pakistan after authorities in Islamabad relaxed a two-year-old ban on Indian overflights.

India and Pakistan had agreed earlier this month to resume flights to each other’s countries from January 1, ahead of SAARC summit in Islamabad. But Pakistani authorities decided to allow the Indian plane with its humanitarian cargo to overfly the country ahead of the agreed date.

The plane is carrying 25 tonnes of relief material, 60 paramedics and five army doctors. The Indian government is also sending two more planes carrying 10,000 blankets, 1,000 tents and doctors to run a 75-bed mobile hospital for a month.

About 80 per cent of the city’s buildings have been destroyed in the quake, including two hospitals. The city is left with no power, fuel or water. Survivors have been clawing at rubble with their hands trying to find others still alive, and distraught relatives were seen wailing in grief.

Bam, a popular tourist attraction, was the site of 2,000-year-old citadel Arg-e-Bam, which was also destroyed in the quake. It was on the register of the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and has been a World Heritage site.

At least 21 nations have sent or are sending aid, said Madeline Moulin from the UN office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The UN wants to be sure the extensive aid efforts are effective.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is dispatching a 10-person team to assist in relief coordination. The office said it has made an initial $90,000 grant and is mobilising 36-40 tons of relief items. These include blankets, kitchen sets, water distribution and purification units, high-energy biscuits and trauma kits.

The United States is sending more than 200 personnel and more than 150,000 pounds of medical supplies to provide emergency assistance.

Turkey, Russia, Spain and Britain are also responding to Iran’s call for help. Turkey plans to send "every possible assistance," including "tents, food, medicine — whatever is needed."