Six months after the earthquake struck the El Haouz region and surrounding areas of Marrakech, the situation for the affected individuals in Morocco remains precarious. While aid promised by the government has been disbursed to many families, the reconstruction efforts are lagging, particularly in the most remote areas.
Of the 60,000 households affected by the earthquake on the night of September 8th to 9th, 2023, the Moroccan government stated at the end of January that monthly compensations had been initiated for over 57,000 of them. Valued at 2,500 dirhams, approximately 230 euros, these aids represent less than the Moroccan minimum wage. Additionally, 44,000 households received a one-time assistance of 20,000 dirhams, roughly less than 2,000 euros, intended for the rebuilding of collapsed houses.
A Winter in Makeshift Camps
However, in many villages surrounding Marrakech and in the High Atlas mountains, residents are still grappling with the aftermath, sleeping in makeshift shelters. Tents or prefabricated structures provided by the government or various associations have been home to tens of thousands of people enduring the cold and dampness of winter.
Reports from Amizmiz, a few kilometers from the epicenter, reveal mountain waters seeping through tents, forming stagnant wastewater due to the lack of proper drainage, leading to unhygienic conditions and illnesses. Further away in Talat N’Yacoub, residents have staged multiple protests expressing their discontent and urging the acceleration of reconstruction efforts.