Extreme devastation, suffering and despair: several thousand people were killed in the worst earthquake to hit Morocco in decades. The Moroccan Interior Ministry spoke on Sunday afternoon More than 2,100 deadjoin At least 2,400 wounded And Hundreds are missing.
Rescue and recovery forces continue to search for survivors in the accident areas. But helpers come in some cases Remote mountainous areas Progress is only difficult. There is also still a risk of aftershocks, which could cause damaged buildings to collapse completely.
Despite tensions: Algeria wants to help, too
Due to the dire consequences of the disaster, diplomatic tensions also declined: according to the official spokesman of the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the offer Algeria Various Algerian news sites reported that there was an emergency plan to support Morocco “if the Kingdom accepts this assistance.” The team consists of 80 specialized rescue workers. Tents and mattresses should also be sent.
Diplomatic relations between Algeria and Morocco have been cut off since August 2021. The Algerian government said at the time that the reason was “Rabat’s hostile actions.” The dispute was over territories in Western Sahara. In this context, Algeria closed its airspace to Moroccan aircraft. The country had already announced, on Saturday, that it would reopen its airspace to flights carrying the wounded and injured and transporting humanitarian aid to the neighboring country.
Several aftershocks shook the affected areas
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake shook Morocco on Saturday evening. Nasser Jabour, head of a department at the National Institute of Geophysics, told MAP that the earthquake was felt in a radius of 400 kilometers. The epicenter was good 70 kilometers southwest of Marrakesh In the Atlas Mountains.
Since homes are often not built strongly enough, most people in the affected areas also spent Sunday night outside. Multiple aftershocks It has rocked the country ever since. A stronger earthquake occurred on Sunday morning around 9 a.m. local time, according to the USGS seismological observatory, with a magnitude of 3.9. According to the Hespress website, the epicenter of the aftershock was about 80 kilometers southwest of Marrakesh, similar to the first earthquake.
Morocco accepts support from four countries – THW sends helpers home
Offers of help and condolences poured in from around the world. The Moroccan Interior Ministry said late Sunday evening that after a comprehensive investigation, the authorities “addressed… Support offers From friendly countries Spain, Qatar, Great Britain And The United Arab Emirates She added that the teams contacted their Moroccan colleagues on Sunday. The Government welcomes all solidarity initiatives from various countries.
A special Spanish military unit equipped with search dogs has already headed to Morocco. Members of the „Fire Brigade Without Borders” from Spain and other professional fire brigades were also on the move. Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported that the Gulf emirate of Qatar sent a rescue and search team.
in Germany In other countries, aid workers were ready to work, but no longer expected to be deployed on Sunday. “It’s been there so far No request for help „We are now returning everything, evacuating our camp and emptying our backpacks,” a spokesman for Germany’s ISAR relief organization and the Federal Association of Rescue Dogs said. The time window in which there is a high probability of saving people alive under the rubble has almost closed Technical Relief Organization (THW) He sent his aides, who had already been assembled near Cologne/Bonn airport for a possible rescue operation in Morocco, home for the time being. The team is said to be still working.
to United States of America Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday that the government had mobilized the relevant authorities and was now ready to act. “We are now waiting for news from the Moroccan government to find out how and where we can help,” he said in an interview with CNN. “But we are ready to go.” An aid team also departed from Tunisia on Saturday evening, but it is unclear whether work has already begun.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies It announced in Geneva that it would support Red Crescent rescue workers with one million Swiss francs (one million euros). Moroccan aides will use the umbrella company’s funds to buy critical supplies locally. “The challenges are enormous,” said Caroline Holt, crisis director at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Bringing heavy rescue equipment to remote earthquake areas and providing rapid assistance to seriously injured people is currently the most important thing.
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his solidarity with the Moroccan people on the 10th. He also thinks of the many French people with Moroccan roots who have families in Morocco. France Macron said on Sunday that his country would be ready to help the country the moment the Moroccan authorities deem it useful. As the French ambassador to Morocco told BFMTV, four French nationals were among the victims.
More than 300,000 people were affected
The ground shook for several seconds on Saturday night and panic broke out among residents. According to the World Health Organization (WHO). More than 300,000 people Affected by the Marrakesh incident and its surrounding areas. The full extent of the disaster cannot yet be predicted; It is feared that the number of victims will continue to rise. King Mohammed VI ordered three days of national mourning.