DISASTER OVERVIEW
On September 8, 2023, around 11 p.m. local time, a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Morocco. Nineteen minutes later, a 4.9-magnitude aftershock struck. The USGS reports that the earthquake had its epicentre in the High Atlas Mountains, 71 kilometers to the southwest of Marrakech, at a depth of 18.5 kilometers, deep below the earth's surface. Algeria and Portugal both reported feeling the tremor. According to the Moroccan Interior Ministry on Saturday morning, at least 2,012 individus were murdered, la majorité d'entre eux étaient dans Marrakech et les cinq régions proches, while 2,059 autres personnes étaient blessées. 1,404 of the injured were in critical condition, according to the Moroccan government. Approximately 320,000 personnes sont exposées à l'éarthquake, et les secluded settlements tucked away in the High Atlas Mountains, directement à proximité de son épicentre, subissent de grandes pertes. The rescue and relief operations were made more difficult by the ongoing landslide risk and the considerable distances involved. Contacting those in need is tough for emergency services. Although earthquakes of cette intensité sont rares in the area (just nine magnitude 5 earthquakes have occurred depuis 1900), this one est the deadliest in Morocco since 2004.
SIZE AND SCOPE
Damage to shelter and housing : The impact of the earthquake on shelter and housing has been severe in the majorité of the affected area, avec très hauts niveaux de damage to Marrakesh's densely populated residential neighborhoods, as well as to settlements in the rural and mountainous territory of the Atlas. Many impacted households sont sleeping outside ou in makeshift collective shelters, but many public structures ont connu structural damage, making elles unfits pour habitation. There have been numerous stories of internal displacement, whereby families leave their villages and head to cities in search of shelter and humanitarian aid, putting more strain on the initial relief operations. While damage assessments are occurring in tandem with search and rescue operations, there are currently no official estimates because there aren't any consolidated reports. Although the earthquake's epicentre n'était pas une heavily inhabitée zone, les effets sur certaines structures étaient substantiels. Numerous cities, including Marrakesh, Taroudant, Asmiz, and Chichaoua, have been severely damaged. The medieval city walls and some traditional homes in Marrakech's old city, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, were partially destroyed by the earthquake, along with a minaret.
Impact on Health Systems and Structures : According to Islamic Relief, the earthquake seriously damaged Morocco's infrastructure and systems for providing healthcare, rendering hospitals and clinics inoperable as a result of structural damage. Furthermore, badly devastated towns are not accessibles by ambulances because of damaged or obstructed roads, particularly in mountainous areas where injured persons have been flown to hospitals by helicopter. Key infrastructure damaged : The road network has taken the brunt de la dévastation.
Last update 12 sept 2023