The tents of Moroccan earthquake survivors portend an uncertain future
Survivors of the earthquake that struck central Morocco wait in long lines for help after losing their homes. But the modest yellow tents they received bear witness to the uncertainty that awaits them.
But despite everything, this aid represents a good gesture for residents like Fatima Omalul, whose face still bears traces of blood, three days after the earthquake that led to the collapse of her house.
At least you won’t have to spend another night sleeping rough.
People affected by the earthquake in Khem (EPA)
“I just want a house that will be a decent place to live,” this 59-year-old woman said as soldiers distributed tents in Amizmiz, a city located about an hour southwest of Marrakesh that has become a center for distributing aid to residents of the villages of the High Atlas.
Tents set up near destroyed or severely damaged homes show that help is coming, but leave survivors uncertain about their fate.
The earthquake that struck the High Atlas Mountains on September 8 killed more than 2,900 people, according to the latest toll.
The earthquake particularly affected rural areas, where a large number of homes became uninhabitable and their residents do not have enough money to rebuild them quickly, without assistance.
But for some, the worst is over, like Omalole, who found herself trapped under the rubble of her home until a neighbor came to check on her and walked over the site she was trapped under.
All she did was start screaming, saying: “I’m down there, don’t step on me!”
Fatima Ben Hammoud, whose walls of her house in Amizmiz suffered major cracks, received a tent for six people.
This 39-year-old woman, who lived in her house with her children and other relatives, said: “Our house poses a danger to us.”
She added: “We cannot sleep inside.” We have to sleep outside, so we need a tent,” she said, expressing her fear of the coming rain.
Opposite her house, queues for tents remained for hours.
People affected by the earthquake in a tent (EPA)
Private aid convoys, run by individuals or associations, arrived in such large numbers that they formed congestions on the narrow roads in the region. But there are also villages that are difficult to reach.
15 kilometers south of Amizmiz, in the mountains, is the ruined village of Enigidi.
Although the prayer room in its mosque was relatively undamaged and its damage was limited to the collapse of a wall, large areas of the village were transformed into a pile of wood and stones used in building traditional housing.
On Tuesday, tents were sent to Enigidi, set up by residents and placing some belongings in them.
Muhammad Emada (33 years old) set up his tent on a piece of dirt land next to his damaged house, but his wife, Latifa, seemed unenthusiastic.
“I don’t want to sleep in a tent,” Latifa, 24, said. “I feel like I’m on the street.”
But the tent is not what bothers her most, and she explained: “I feel like my heart is broken.” “I am afraid of the future.”
#wedding #ceremony #saves #village #residents #death #Moroccan #earthquake
2023-09-13 11:52:47
