Morocco reported the collapse of approximately 50,000 homes, either partially or completely. This tragic event took place several days ago, affecting multiple cities within the kingdom and leading to a vast number of casualties and injured individuals.
This data was released in an official statement from the Royal Office, following a meeting chaired by King Mohammed VI, dedicated to speeding up the program aimed at rehousing those affected and assisting the most vulnerable victims of the Al Haouz region quake.
According to the statement, the Moroccan government is set to grant urgent financial assistance, amounting to 30,000 dirhams (roughly 3,000 dollars), to families impacted by the earthquake. It added that of the collapsed homes, “around 50,000 suffered either complete or partial damage across the five most affected provinces.”
Furthermore, there will be a provision of a direct financial aid package: 140,000 dirhams (about 14,000 dollars) for completely collapsed houses and 80,000 dirhams (nearly 8,000 dollars) for homes that suffered partial damage.
In response to the quake’s impact on the tourism sector, particularly in the Al Haouz area near Marrakech, the Moroccan government has amplified its communication efforts with the private sector. This comes at a crucial time when Marrakech, the country’s tourism capital, is gearing up to host thousands of attendees for the upcoming annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank next month. The Governor of the Central Bank of Morocco, Abdellatif Jouahri, confirmed that these globally significant financial meetings will proceed as scheduled, dispelling any speculations about potential postponements.
The Moroccan Ministry of Tourism has reached out to tour organizers and airlines to encourage the continuation of promotional activities for Morocco. They have also urged hotel owners to expedite recovery efforts, which include rapid building assessments and necessary precautions.
In related news, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre reported a 4.8 magnitude aftershock southwest of Marrakech, which was followed by a series of smaller tremors. The National Institute of Geophysics advised caution in the affected areas, warning of possible further damages.
An educational source from the city of Taroudant highlighted that nearly 300 schools in the region are now unfit for study, especially those located at the earthquake’s epicenter in “Iguel.” The source added that “technical committees are evaluating educational institutions to determine the extent of the damage and identify which schools require repairs and those unfit for study, while exploring alternatives for relocating students to other institutions.”
