Morocco Earthquake - latest - Muslim Charities Forum

On Friday 8^th September 2023 at around 11.00pm, Morocco experienced a major earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8, the epicentre striking the rural province of Al Haoz.

With the worst hit being the small town of Ighil, more than 2,800 people have lost their lives* and many thousands more are injured and missing. Marrakesh, Azilal, Chichaoua, Taroudant, Amizmiz and other highly populated areas are severely damaged with aftershocks ongoing.

Due to the remote nature of the villages, many buildings were not sufficiently built to withstand natural disaster. Hundreds of homes have crumbled, trapping many people underneath extensive rubble. Infrastructure, including roads and power lines, have been badly damaged.

Emergency Response:

The government of Morocco is providing aid through ambulances, rescue crews and soldiers. They have accepted limited foreign assistance from Spain, Qatar, Britain, and the UAE.

Morocco has declared three days of national mourning.

Many Muslim Charities, including members of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) have all launched emergency fundraising appeals in response to the disaster.

Urgent emerging needs are food, shelter and healthcare. The landscape remains unstable and is mountainous which is hampering immediate search and rescue. It is estimated that recovery efforts to rescue and rebuild may take years.