Islamic Relief has launched a £10 million appeal to assist the people of Morocco, who face the aftermath of one of the strongest earthquakes in years. The powerful quake struck at 11.11 pm, killing at least 800 people – a grim death toll that is likely to rise in the days ahead.
High Atlas mountain villages at the earthquake epicentre
Many of the dead are thought to be in remote villages in the High Atlas mountains, the epicentre of the earthquake. Residents are using whatever equipment they can find as they struggle to reach their neighbours under the rubble.
Blocked roads are preventing ambulances from reaching the wounded, and while officials are scrambling to clear debris, rescue and relief efforts are difficult amid the mountainous terrain, risk of landslides, and large distances.
Historic Marrakech badly damaged
The earthquake, which was felt as far away as Algeria and Portugal, also shook historic Marrakech, the nearest major city to the epicentre. Homes and other buildings in the UNESCO World Heritage Site have collapsed.
Aftershocks have left families too frightened to seek shelter, with exhausted survivors forced to sleep in the streets, reported Islamic Relief’s Hana Elabdallaoui.
“People are sleeping outside for a second night. They are taking pillows and covers and spending the night outside as they feel safer here. They don’t feel safe at home as they don’t know if there is going to be another shake, so there is a feeling of insecurity and uncertainty – people don’t know what to expect. They are really afraid,” says Hana, part of a team assessing needs at Marrakesh’s vast, historic main square, Djema el-Fna.
Occurring just 11 miles beneath the surface, the shallow earthquake was magnitude 6.8, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). In response to the disaster, Islamic Relief is assessing the most critical needs and identifying local humanitarian organisations IRW can work with to deliver vital aid.
