TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (Xinhuanet) -- Rescuers have pulled from rubbles about 28,000 corpses that were buried after the powerful earthquake hit the southeastern Iranian city of Bam on Friday, state radio reported Tuesday.

    State radio quoted a local official as saying that the final toll will probably top 30,000.

    Earlier, officials from Kerman province said 25,000 bodies havebeen recovered following the quake which measured 6.3 on the Richter scale.

    Only 2,000 people have been pulled out alive from the ruins.

    Meanwhile, state radio quoted President Mohammad Khatami as saying that the government has promised to reconstruct the historic city of Bam.

    "The town of Bam must reappear on the map of Iran," Khatami said during a meeting at Bam airport.

    "The town will be reconstructed in two years," he added. Enditem