Rescue teams from Spain, Britain and Qatar joined efforts to search for survivors of the Moroccan earthquake that occurred in the High Atlas Mountains region late on Friday, with a magnitude of 6.8.
Moroccan television reported yesterday evening, Monday, that the death toll reached 2,862, while the number of injured reached 2,562. Given that most of the areas affected by the earthquake are difficult to reach, the authorities did not issue any estimates of the number of missing people.
Disaster of remote villages as a result of the Moroccan earthquake
In Tinmel village, almost all the houses were destroyed and all their residents were left homeless. The smell of death emanates from dozens of animals buried under the rubble in parts of the village. Residents in that village and other villages said that they pulled people out of the rubble with their own hands.
As for the village of Tikhat, where only a few buildings remained standing, an eyewitness described to Reuters how residents pulled 25 people alive from under the rubble in the aftermath of the earthquake, and his sister was one of those rescued.
A video in the remote village of Imi showed men and dogs climbing a steep area filled with rubble. The clip was filmed by Antonio Nogales, operations coordinator for United Firefighters Without Borders.
“The level of destruction… is comprehensive… not a single house is left standing,” Nogales said, unable to find the right word to describe what he saw. He pointed out that despite the extent of the damage, rescue teams searching with dogs are still hoping to find survivors.
The epicenter of the earthquake was about 72 kilometers southwest of Marrakesh, where some historical buildings in the old city, listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, were damaged. The earthquake also caused major damage to the historic Tinmel Mosque, which dates back to the 12th century.
What does the situation look like in Marrakesh after the earthquake?
More modern parts of Marrakesh have largely survived, including a site near the airport earmarked for the International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings scheduled for next month. Sources told Reuters that more than ten thousand people are expected to participate in the meetings that the Moroccan government wants to proceed with.
After initial relief efforts, camps had appeared in some locations by Monday night, with people spending a fourth night outdoors. The army in Morocco said it was strengthening search and rescue teams, providing drinking water and distributing food, tents and blankets.
From the historic Mellah neighborhood in Marrakesh, one of the neighborhoods most affected by the earthquake, Al-Arabi correspondent Youssef El-Bakali said that local authorities in the city are making great efforts to shelter survivors who are sleeping outdoors there after losing their homes. He pointed out that the authorities established a huge camp for them, extending over an area of 2,000 square meters, with a capacity of more than 700,000 beds.
Al-Baqali added that some of the survivors demanded the establishment of a camp near their homes in Al-Mallah Square, and refused to move to shelter centers, demanding guarantees to determine the fate and reconstruction of their homes, and to reveal the authorities’ plan for the next few days.
The Moroccan government spokesman, Mustafa Beitas, confirmed to Al-Arabi that the government is studying the issue of shelter for those affected who lost their homes, by establishing a special fund for the disaster, to estimate the amount of possible compensation for them, whether in shelter or nutrition.
A main road linking the Atlas Mountains to Marrakesh was closed yesterday evening, Monday, in light of the heavy numbers of vehicles and people carrying relief supplies and heading towards some of the most affected population centers in the remote areas of the mountains.
Moroccan volunteers and civilians, with the help of some foreigners, helped direct traffic and remove rocky debris from the road, as Morocco accepted offers of assistance from Spain and Britain, which sent search and rescue specialists in addition to trained dogs, and from the Emirates and Qatar. State television reported that the government may accept offers of assistance from other countries at a later date.
2023-09-12 05:34:24
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