Death toll in Morocco earthquake rises to 2,497: Reports

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
11 Sep 2023 15:49

The Moroccan Ministry of Interior has reported a rising death toll of 2,497 following the earthquake that struck various regions of Morocco last Friday, prompting international assistance and solidarity.

People walk through the wreckage caused by the earthquake, in the town of Amizmiz, near Marrakech, Morocco, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023.

The Moroccan Ministry of Interior has announced a rising death toll of 2,497 and a growing number of injured individuals, reaching 2,476.

Moroccan rescue teams, with the support of foreign assistance, raced to locate survivors and provide aid to hundreds of displaced individuals whose homes had been destroyed in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake.

The Moroccan Ministry of Interior expressed the kingdom's gratitude for the international solidarity and aid pouring in from various regions of the world.

Several nations, including Algeria and Iran, have declared their readiness to provide assistance to Morocco and have expressed their solidarity following the violent earthquake that shook the nation.

Journalists reporting on the disaster

Journalist Mohamed Karim Boukhsas, speaking to Al Mayadeen, reported that rescue teams are striving to reach remote areas affected by the earthquake. He also revealed that the Moroccan government is set to announce a relief and reconstruction plan in the coming hours.

Boukhsas emphasized that Moroccans "appreciate the international solidarity they have received after the earthquake," and he noted that this has helped ease political sensitivities.

Saeed El-Susi, another journalist, stated that the earthquake has turned several regions into mass graves, and rescue teams, along with the military, are working diligently to access remote areas.

El-Susi highlighted that "people's initiatives have played a significant role in sending aid to some affected regions."

Younis Al-Zuhair, a journalist at the Moroccan Al-Amq newspaper, explained that Morocco's acceptance of aid from various countries is due to its inability to reach all affected areas. He further clarified that Morocco requires assistance, including tents and mobile homes to shelter refugees, particularly in the affected regions.

He added, "It is too early to discuss reconstruction and its criteria; the priority now is saving lives."

Chinese and French Aid for Morocco's Earthquake Relief Efforts

Official Chinese media reported on Monday that the Chinese Red Cross Society would provide $200,000 in emergency humanitarian assistance to the Moroccan Red Crescent following the destructive earthquake. The donation will be used to support Morocco in carrying out disaster rescue and relief operations.

It was also mentioned that Chinese medical workers in Morocco have been actively providing assistance to earthquake victims, including during the aftershocks that followed the initial earthquake. The city of Ben Guerir, located in central Morocco and closest to the earthquake's epicenter, has received support from a Chinese medical team.

In parallel, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna announced a €5 million aid package for non-governmental organizations currently involved in relief efforts in Morocco after the earthquake. Colonna stated that this aid, dedicated to humanitarian organizations operating "on the ground" in Morocco, will be allocated from the reserves of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

She noted that "many" non-governmental organizations have begun working in the kingdom to "assist the population" in facing the consequences of the destructive earthquake, which has claimed the lives of more than two thousand people.

Morocco & Libya Disasters

Natural disasters have struck North Africa; From a 7 magnitude earthquake that hit the province of al-Haouz, Morocco, to a catastrophic flooding breaking dams and sweeping away homes in Libya. In Morocco, the earthquake has killed more than 2,000 people and caused severe damage in several areas. Rescuers are digging through rubble in the remote mountains of Morocco in a desperate bid to find survivors from the deadliest earthquake to strike the country in decades. While 2,000 people have died and 10,000 are believed missing after Storm Daniel dumped so much rain on Libya’s northeast that two dams collapsed sending water flowing into already inundated areas.