A devastating earthquake that struck the ancient Iranian city of Bam in the pre-dawn hours Friday has razed some 80 percent of the city and has left officials fearing that as many as 20,000 people may have perished beneath the rubble of collapsed mud-brick buildings.

As night fell and temperatures dipped below freezing, Bam was left without water, gas or electricity, and roads leading into the city were choked with emergency vehicles and people desperate to find out if their loved ones were safe or not.

Iranian President Mohammad Khatami acknowledged that the country