KERMAN, Iran - Entire blocks of buildings lay crushed and survivors lined up blanket-wrapped bodies in the street after a devastating earthquake leveled nearly three-quarters of the Iranian city of Bam on Friday, killing at least 5,000 people and injuring 30,000 others.

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The quake also destroyed much of Bam’s historic landmark — a giant medieval fortress complex of towers, domes and walls, all made of mud-brick, overlooking a walled Old City, parts of which date back 2,000 years. Television images showed the onetime highest part of the fort crumbled like a sand castle down the side of the hill, though some walls still stood.

“The disaster is far too huge for us to meet all of our needs,” President Mohammad Khatami said. “However, all the institutions have been mobilized.”

The government asked for international assistance — particularly search and rescue teams, with many victims still thought buried in the ruins. President Bush promised to send aid, as did numerous European nations.

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