Journalism of Courage
An earthquake of 6.8 magnitude shook parts of Morocco on Friday night, leaving countless dead in its wake. The earthquake which hit the Al-Haouz province, in the Atlas Mountains, is the deadliest one in the North African country’s history. This picture shows Mohamed Ouchen, 66, standing in front of his destroyed house in Tikekhte, near Adassil. (Reuters)
In the following 48 hours, the region suffered over two dozen aftershocks - the strongest one recording 4.8 on the Richter Scale. The death toll, as of today, stands at over 2,800. In the picture you can see members of the Military Emergency Unit shift through the rubble of a collapsed building in search of survivors near Khair Anougal. (AP)
Moreover, countless people are still missing, despite national and international aid pouring in. Victims are being buried in spot graves dug on-site as you can see in this picture of a victim covered in a sheet being carried to a grave that has just been dug in Talat N'yakoub. Among the countries who are offering on-ground personnel to Morocco are the UK, Turkiye, Spain, and Tunisia. (AP)
As you can see in the picture, Spain’s Emergency Military Unit is already on site with two teams, discussing plans at a military camp in the town of Amizmiz, near Marrakech, with the Moroccan rescue group. Whereas, Tunisia has pledged to provide a team of around 50 personnel and other technology for search and rescue. (AP)
Moreover, the US and the French Presidents have promised any necessary aid, the UK is in preparation of sending a team of over 60 personnel including medical help and rescue specialists, Algeria has agreed to open up its airspace for aid flights, and Turkiye has pledged to send over 200 aid-workers. In the picture is a military helicopter flying in aid for survivors in Talat N'Yaaqoub. (Reuters)
Survivors and the affected have been put up in make-shift tents as you can see in this picture of a camp set up by the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces to assist with the rescue mission for victims of the earthquake, in the town of Amizmiz, near Marrakech. Among Turkiye’s aid promises to Morocco are also a thousand tents which will provide temporary shelter to many. (AP)
In this picture from Tinmel in Morocco, women and children are queuing up for food, water, and other aid at the disaster site. The World Health Organisation has said that around 300,000 people have been affected by the deadly earthquake as the struggle for food, water, shelter, and rescue continues. (Reuters)
Several structures were destroyed as the earthquake and its many aftershocks floored building after building, leaving the survivors among the dust and rubble of their homes. On the list of damaged structures is a 12th century old mosque which Moroccan media reported to have collapsed, and several structures in the city of Marrakech which was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985. (Reuters)
The Moroccan government came under heavy criticism as the affected areas were left without cell services and electricity, also. Though the government officials reported to the media that the rescue teams are “working hard”, the teams struggled to even reach villages in Taroudant and Al-Haouz due to blocked roads and remote locations. In the picture you can see collapsed buildings lining the roadside as a motorist makes his way through the disaster-struck region. (AP)
The United States Geological Survey reported that the epicentre of the Friday earthquake was roughly 18.5 km below the Earth’s surface, though Morocco’s own seismic agency pegged the depth at 11 km. According to experts, such quakes are generally more dangerous as they carry more energy when they emerge to the surface when compared to quakes that occur deeper underneath the surface. (Reuters)
