What Happened?
A 6.8 magnitude earthquake, the strongest to hit the country in over six decades, struck Morroco in November, killed over 2,800 people, injured over 10,000, and caused widespread environmental damage.
Several villages have been destroyed, leaving thousands homeless.
As a result, Morocco has called on the international community, requesting aid and rescue work. Search teams from Britain, Spain, and Qatar have joined efforts to find people buried under the rubble.
Rescue workers are working around the clock to find survivors, but the death toll is expected to rise. The search is being hampered by aftershocks, which have continued to hit the region.
Morocco has declared three days of mourning for the victims of the earthquake and has appealed for international aid to help with the relief effort; however, the damage from the earthquake will have a lasting impact on the country and the damage from the earthquake could take several years to repair.
How Can I Help?
If you would like to aid in the repair efforts, make sure to check out one of these resources:
- UNICEF has stated that it’s ready to help Moroccans in need and is currently accepting donations.
- The Red Cross has launched an emergency appeal and is accepting donations for any with immediate or severe needs.
- Moroccan Red Crescent Society: In partnership with the International Federation of Red Cross, MRCS offers first aid, psychosocial support, and transportation of injured individuals to hospitals.
- Amal Women’s Center is a training center for women in Marrakech. They’ve organized a response committee for earthquake relief, focusing on immediate food distribution.
- CARE is an international organization, which generally aims at defeating poverty, and is accepting donations for its operations in Morocco. They are specifically focusing on vulnerable groups such as women, youth, and other disadvantaged communities.
Citations:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/morocco-earthquake-appeal-marrakech-map-b2409642.htm…https://www.cnn.com/africa/live-news/morocco-earthquake-marrakech-09-11-23/index.html https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/magnitude-7-earthquake-strikes-morocco-gfz-2023-09-08/
https://apnews.com/article/morocco-earthquake-marraskesh-7f4a503009dede0dec0208c08d6b100b
