27 December 2003, the small town of Bam – located in southeastern Iran, about 300 kilometers from Kerman – was rocked by 6.8 Richter-scale earthquakes. More than 40,000 were killed. Asides from the human casualty, Iran also grieved the loss of one of their civilization jewels. The ancient city of thousands years old in Bam was nothing but flattened. Five years after the earthquake, rubbles are still seen here and there in Bam, but live starts to get normal again. As it is bordering with the problematic province of Sistan-e-Balochestan, security is still an issue in Bam. Kidnappings of foreign visitors happen sporadically, and during certain circumstances, foreigners have to be accompanied by armed guards while traveling around the town.
Bam, Iran, 2008