The earthquake that shook the Atlas Mountains south of Marrakech on September 8 left dozens of camps for displaced people erected in an improvised manner. Little by little, some are being provided with basic services such as water, electricity and toilets, in a sign that the emergency is far from over.
First modification:
3 min
Engineers from the Moroccan phosphates company, OCP, one of the world leaders in exporting this mineral, began the installation of water and electricity services in at least one of the several camps set up improvisedly in the town of Amizmiz, the most important city. of the area.
In that region, 80% of the population has been housed in tents, according to authorities. However, despite the efforts of the rescue missions, the lack of help fills the victims with frustration.
According to official government data, 50,000 homes were left unusable by the earthquake, which surprised the inhabitants of the south of the country on Friday night.
Engineer Mustafa al Queid, who has been installing basic services in the displaced people’s camps since Monday, is working on installing two bathrooms for women and three for men, in addition to seven taps with drinking water, although it may be insufficient to supply the hundreds of stores.
Some women come to fill jugs of water at one of the two taps that have just been installed, and a few meters away the shells of the future bathrooms can be seen on the ground. The installation of showers has not yet begun because they are awaiting the arrival of other materials.
The shelter is planned for many months; the plans, says Al Queid, include the construction of a mosque.
This camp is not the norm. In others there are still no signs that work will begin and even less so in the villages of the High Atlas, where the earthquake hit hardest.
Victims denounce state neglect
People are suffering with this earthquake. They have nothing. We live only on air. We need tents and blankets, says Mohamed Zidane, 55, from Aoufour, a community affected by the earthquake.
Zidane was part of a convoy of men carrying water to an improvised camp set up in a valley that runs down near the town of Anzelfi, where several community members have been sleeping for several nights for fear of aftershocks.
“We are still waiting for the government to help us,” claims Mohamed Oufkir, 30 years old and part of the group of affected people. “We are here because we are homeless,” he says. “We are in danger because when it rains the valley can flood,” he said.
The complaints are many. The aid does not arrive. “We are very afraid. Life here is getting harder. It’s cold. We no longer have a house and we fear there will be another earthquake,” said Meghashi, 39. “The government doesn’t care about us. We feel marginalized. We are angry,” she added.
Moroccan ministers donate salaries to support victims
All Moroccan government ministers and ministerial delegates donated one month’s salary to help earthquake victims. The decision resulted from a meeting of the Government Council chaired by the head of the Executive, Aziz Ajanuch.
Officials from the public administration, public companies and territorial communities, as well as authority agents, will join the initiative, who will donate one day’s salary in three months.
King Mohamed VI ordered the activation of a direct aid plan of between $7,7700 and $13,625 to rehabilitate the 50,000 homes totally or partially damaged by the earthquake. The 6.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Morocco on September 8 left at least 2,800 dead and more than 2,500 injured, according to the latest reports.
With Efe
#install #water #electricity #services #refugee #camps #Morocco