71.   The daily Kayhan said President Hashemi Rafsanjani would visit the stricken area later in the week.

72.   The government also said it had accepted an offer from the U.S. Air Force to transport relief supplies to the stricken area.

73.   The government has been criticized by Japanese media, survivors and others for acting slowly in dispatching troops to the stricken area and rushing in relief supplies.

74.   The jets staged four sorties over the area and black smoke could be seen billowing from the stricken area.

75.   The national disaster agency said it could not confirm the death toll because reports were still coming in from stricken areas.

76.   The local water company has had to resort to using tankers to haul millions of gallons into the stricken area to stave off water rationing.

77.   The Red Cross is considering dispatching a team of doctors, and drugs, food, water and tents to the stricken area, he said.

78.   The South African Air Force has flown in food and medical supplies to stricken areas this week.

79.   The troops set up road blocks on main streets, warning citizens to stay away from the stricken area, he said.

80.   Throughout Sunday, convoys of trucks, vans and buses carried relief supplies to the stricken area.