Reliefgroups rushed food, clothing and medicine Sunday to remote mountains in north-eastern Iran, where an earth-quake on Saturday killed at least 2,400 people.

Ebrahim Faghihi, acting head of International Affairs for the Iranian Red Cross in Tehran, said in a telephone interview at least 6,000 people were injured and 40,000 left homeless.

The 7.1-magnitude earth-quake leveled 80 villages and destroyed 60% of 70 others, officials said.

" I can't deal with this alone," Mohammad Hossein Mozaffar told the Associated Press as he put a cast on the leg of a wailing 5-year-old boy clinging to his mother in Qaen.

About 130 aftershocks in the area forced tens of thousands to camp in the streets.

Ann Stingle, spokeswoman for the American Red Cross, said the quake also destroyed the water system in the region, making shelter and water two of the major needs. She said the Red Cross was asking for money to purchase goods close to the stricken area.

White House spokeswoman Mary Ellen Glynn, traveling with President Clinton in Barbados, said the United States was prepared to provide assistance through relief organizations like Red Cross.

" I believe that despite our differences with Iran ─ which are considerable and very, very strong ─ this will be viewed as a humanitarian issue, " Bill Richardson, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told CNN.

Faghihi said Iran was asking for blankets and water tankers.

France sent a cargo plane with 39 tons of blankets, tents, clothes and food, the French Foreign Ministry said.

The earthquake struck at 12:28 p.m. and was centered near the town of Qaen, 70 miles west of the Afghan border. Most damage occurred in a 60-mile stretch between Birjand and Qaen, a region dotted by poor villages and mud huts.

The Iranian Red Crescent sent 9,000 tents, more than 18,000 blankets and canned food, rice and dates.

Those wishing to help should make checks payable to the American Red Cross International Response Fund. P.O. Box 372433, Washington, D.C. 20013