San Diegans Await Word on Iran Relatives

By LINDA ROACH MONROE

June 23, 1990 12 AM PT

LINDA ROACH MONROE, TIMES STAFF WRITER

Shortly after 2 p.m. Wednesday, San Diego resident Mohammad Nyakoui got a call from his wife, who is spending the summer in the Caspian Sea coastal city of Rasht, Iran, with her family.

“I asked her what she was doing, and she said she was watching the World Cup,” Nyakoui recalls.

About 15 minutes after she hung up, Rasht and other cities in Iran’s northern region were rocked by an earthquake that killed thousands.

Back home in San Diego, it was several hours before Nyakoui even heard news of the quake. When he did, some quick time-zone arithmetic showed that he had talked to his wife just minutes before the quake happened.

“I was very worried,” Nyakoui said. “I tried through the Red Cross to call Iran, but they told us they couldn’t do anything before 48 hours passed.”

One of about 25,000 San Diego Iranians in the same anxious state, Nyakoui was luckier than most: His wife managed to call him a second time that day, about eight hours after the quake, to tell him she and their two children were safe.

Phone lines remained jammed Friday, other Iranian-Americans in San Diego said.

“There’s a sense of panic. It’s just impossible to get through,” said Houshang Ghashghai, who teaches political science at San Diego State University.

Already though, some of the worried immigrants were turning their fear into action by mobilizing relief efforts for Iran.

Hamid Biglari, a theoretical physicist at UC San Diego, was among those who organized a local group to gather contributions for the United Nations Fund for the Iran Earthquake.

The group has set up two offices and phone lines. They are collecting medicine, food and a variety of living supplies, including blankets, light clothing and flashlights. The supplies will be transported by the United Nations, Biglari said.

Another group gathering medical supplies is Southwest Medical Teams, an organization whose last major international effort was sending volunteers and medical supplies to Armenia after the 1988 quake there.

Southwest Medical Teams won’t be sending any volunteers this time, said director Barry La Forgia.

“That’s at the advice of the State Department. They couldn’t ensure our safety over there, and we don’t want to endanger any of our volunteers,” La Forgia said.

WHERE TO SEND AID

Donations for Iranian earthquake relief are being taken in San Diego by two groups:

United Nations Fund for the Iran Earthquake (467-1120 or 456-4000)--Collecting antibiotic and analgesic drugs, collapsible plastic water containers, plastic sheeting, 220-volt portable generators of less than 10 kilowatts, tents, blankets, dry food, light clothing, flashlights and lighting equipment. Bring items or mail checks to 4540 Kearny Villa Road, Suite 214, San Diego 92123; or to 7509 Girard Ave., Suite A, La Jolla 92037. Checks should be made out to the U.N. Fund for the Iran Earthquake.

Southwest Medical Teams (284-7979)--Through Thursday, collecting sutures, surgical gloves, antibiotics, analgesics (including aspirin), vitamins, ophthalmic solutions and empty blood collection bags. Shipment will be sent July 2. Cash donations will be used to pay to fly the supplies to Iran. Mail checks to 3547 Camino del Rio South, Suite C, San Diego 92108, noting that donation is for Iranian Earthquake Relief Fund.

Other agencies accepting donations for Iranian earthquake victims:

Adventist Development and Relief Agency

12501 Old Columbia Pike

Silver Spring, Md. 20904

(301) 680-6380

American Red Cross

Iran Earthquake Disaster

P.O. Box 37243

Washington, D.C. 20013

(800) 842-2200

Bank Melli Iran

Iran Quake Relief Assistance