Premier League announced that all matches this weekend will pay tribute following the tragic earthquakes in Morocco and Libya that have affected thousands of lives.
The players and match officials will wear black armbands and have a moment’s silence ahead of kick-off at fixtures during Matchweek 5, from 16 September to 18 September.
“The Premier League is deeply saddened by the recent tragic events in Morocco and Libya. All players and match officials will wear black armbands and observe a moment’s silence this weekend,” the statement read.
A devastating 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit Morocco’s High Atlas mountains a week ago, with the death toll currently at 2,900 and expected to climb.
On 11 September, severe flooding in Libya caused two dams to burst, inundating Derna, a city in the east, with mud and water.
The Libyan Red Crescent reported that the death toll in Derna had reached 11,000 and anticipates it will increase as more rescue teams assist in recovering bodies.
Additionally, 30,000 individuals are unaccounted for. The full extent of the tragedy might be even more significant since many international aid agencies and journalists haven’t accessed the flood-affected region, which is under the control of a warlord rather than the Tripoli government.
Despite their geographical proximity, Morocco and Libya have vastly different contexts, influencing their respective disaster response capabilities.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Libya announced on Thursday that about 300,000 children have been affected by the aftermath of Storm Daniel in eastern Libya.
UNICEF emphasized the urgent need for $6.5 million to provide support to children and assist families in the devastated areas of eastern Libya.
This announcement comes in the wake of alarming statements from the Libyan Red Crescent, which reported a devastating toll from the floods.
The Libyan Red Crescent revealed that the death toll has exceeded 11,000 people, while the number of missing individuals stands at nearly 20,000.
