According to the latest balance sheet announced by the Moroccan Government last week, the Al Haouz region, located in the Moroccan High Atlas, is trying to heal the wounds of the earthquake that killed 2,960 people a month ago. Approximately 6,000 people were also injured. After the first weeks of the emergency response, the country is already focused on rebuilding the entire region.
1. Restructuring
Moroccan authorities will allocate 120 billion dirhams (about 11,000 million euros) for the reconstruction of the area. This plan plans to benefit 4.2 million population living in the affected areas and will be implemented for the next five years. In detail, there are some 56,500 homes affected because of the earthquake. People who are homeless are expected to receive between 7,000 and 13,000 euros to repair their homes. The government also opened the door to “friendly countries” or private organizations to donate funds to contribute to reconstruction.
Two weeks after the earthquake, authorities began to count the affected population and inspect damaged houses in order to distribute this aid. Also, starting from this Friday, the state started making a delivery. 2,500 dirham monthly aid Affected families were provided with assistance for one year (230 Euros). One of the biggest challenges of the reconstruction will be to rehabilitate the houses so that they can better withstand possible new earthquakes, since the majority of the houses are built of adobe and such constructions collapse easily.
2. Difficult terrain
According to Moroccan officials, 2.8 million people affected It spread to about 3,000 towns due to the earthquake. Most of these locations small villages that are difficult to reach where dozens of people live. One of the biggest challenges for emergency teams was reaching many of these completely isolated points.
By the third week after the earthquake, authorities reported that they had already achieved this. unlock all roads and tracks. Many have become impassable due to landslides and rocks. These connections are vital as many of these villages do not have all basic services and the population is forced to travel to larger towns to see the doctor or go to the weekly market.
3.Hard climatic conditions
The biggest fear of people who live in this region and are homeless is winter. In the highest valleys and towns near the epicenter accustomed to snowfallSometimes it is abundant, causing some villages to become isolated. That’s why they prepare food and other essential items to survive the winter throughout the year. Many are now homeless and spend the night in tents.
Last winter almost 400,000 people isolated After one of the biggest snowfalls in the country’s history, up to two meters of snow accumulated in the Ouarzazate region, 100 kilometers away from the epicenter of the earthquake. Although this region experiences water scarcity, another problem it encounters with increasing frequency is water scarcity. severe stormsLarge amounts of water can fall within a few hours, causing floods and landslides.
4. Follow the studies
33 schools The towns closest to the epicenter were: completely destroyedQ. According to the authorities, there are 774 educational institutions in total and 30,000 children were left without lessons. Approximately 6,000 students from the points most affected by the earthquake were transferred to Marrakech and provided with food, accommodation and transportation so that they could continue classes temporarily.
In other provinces, the Ministry of National Education gave permission. tents and tents Thus, while it can serve as a school, it is hoped that prefabricated classrooms will be built soon. According to Efe, 200 tents equipped with all the necessary materials for the training operation were placed in the damaged villages. Morocco also stated that it will provide care to all children orphaned in the earthquake.
5.Mental health
The earthquake also affected the mental health of many of the affected people. Even from towns far from the epicenter. Fear, anxiety or insomnia According to experts working in this field, these are some of the most common effects. In some cases, a small noise during the night is enough to no longer fall asleep.
“A traumatic experience like surviving an earthquake requires urgent support Access to mental health care to avoid long-term problems. This health service is sometimes neglected due to the priority given to people with visible injuries,” explained nurse Fouzia Bara. Doctors Unlimited Who works in the affected area?
6. Effects on the tourism sector
The region is also afraid of an earthquake. decrease in the number of tourists. For many families, this is their main economic activity. It is common in the mountainous region nature tourismsuch as hiking or field trips. The earthquake exactly coincided with the beginning of the high season, which is the autumn and spring months when the weather is more suitable.
Inside marrakechThe tourism industry, sixty kilometers away from the epicenter, also fears cancellations or tourists choosing other destinations. Many sellers or guides explain that the images circulating around the world are of the most destroyed towns, but when it comes to tourist towns you can visit. There is no danger and the environment is normal. The National Tourism Office has also launched a campaign to revitalize the sector. with the sentence “See you in Marrakesh”, they encourage Moroccans to travel to the tourism capital and the region as a sign of solidarity.