Morocco’s Al-Haouz Earthquake: 1 year on

Fatima was sleeping when the earthquake struck.

“My daughter came and woke me up, terrified and panicked. I didn’t understand what had happened.”

“I tried to calm her down, but she was extremely frightened and ran away. Then I noticed the ceiling of the room collapsing, and the wall next to me falling until I was trapped under the rubble.”

On the night of 8 September 2023, a massive 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck central Morocco, killing families in their beds and flattening whole villages.

It was the most powerful earthquake to ever hit Morocco.

Close to 3,000 people lost their lives, while thousands more were injured.

Fatima was living in the south-western province of Al-Haouz, where the epicentre of the earthquake hit. Its impact would change her life.

“When I regained consciousness, I removed some of the rubble I was trapped under. I was screaming in pain until I freed my legs and my clothes that were caught under the debris.”

“People outside the house were screaming and calling for me. I opened the door and went out, asking them to save my daughter – only her fingers were visible under the rubble and dust. Thankfully, they managed to rescue her. We escaped barefoot and naked until one of my sons brought us something to cover ourselves with in the morning.”

Fatima’s house was completely destroyed by the earthquake, and she and her daughter became 2 of the 500,000 people displaced by the disaster.

Severe aftershocks

The tremors that followed the earthquake were huge, causing massive amounts of damage to the surrounding regions and being felt all across the country.

The earthquake and aftershocks destroyed close to 19,000 homes, with another 60,000 sustaining heavy damage.

In villages, towns and cities across the region, terrified and traumatised families spent nights sleeping out in the open, too afraid to seek shelter. In the High Atlas Mountains, isolated communities faced an agonising wait for help.

“Our home collapsed,” says Hamid, describing the moment the earthquake destroyed his village, Douar As-Salam.

 

“Some among us were fortunate to be rescued from beneath the rubble. The aftermath has been nothing short of devastating, with all our possessions irreparably damaged. The unforgiving cold now chills our makeshift tents, adding another layer of hardship. They have torn, and I have sewn them back together.”

From the first day of the disaster Islamic Relief was a lifeline to affected communities.

We reached thousands of survivors with vital humanitarian aid. People like Hamid who had lost everything in the earthquake received essential survival items such as warm clothing and hygiene kits.

An immediate response

Within hours of the disaster, Islamic Relief launched a R230 million appeal to assist survivors.

Working with local partners Al Mobadara Association and At Tawassol, we distributed desperately needed items including mattresses, blankets, and warm clothing to help people exposed to the harsh winter weather.

Food, water and thousands of hygiene kits were also distributed to help combat the rise of waterborne diseases.

“The humanitarian needs here in Morocco were enormous in the wake of the earthquake. We faced great challenges [delivering aid] due to the destruction of important infrastructure and roads, which made it difficult to reach mountainous communities.” Ghassen Alimi, Islamic Relief’s Head of Mission in Morocco says.