The strong 7.1 magnitude earthquake that rocked central Morocco on Sept. 7 last year damaged around 26,900 homes in total, with more than 4,230 dwellings having collapsed, and at least 22,560 partially damaged, according to a release issued at the end of the 8th meeting of the interministerial commission in charge of Morocco’s general earthquake reconstruction and rehabilitation program on Wednesday. The numbers are based on results from a census carried out during the two weeks of Sept. 18-30, shortly after the quake.
A total of 57,596 families have now begun to receive monthly financial assistance of 2,500 dirhams as of January 31, with more than 44,000 households receiving 20,000 dirhams as the first installment of aid for the reconstruction of totally or partially collapsed housing.
Responding to thousands of public assistance applications submitted between Oct. 17 and Nov. 17, 2023, local housing census commissions identified 32,640 homes whose owners meet the necessary conditions to receive compensation, including 1,603 totally collapsed homes and 31,037 partially collapsed homes, bringing the total number of financial aid recipients to 59,438 households as of Jan. 31, 2024.
During the meeting, the interministerial commission reviewed the progress made in clearing rubble from the collapsed homes.
It also reviewed the status of the upgrade to a critical 8 km roadway linking “Tizi n’Tasset” to “Tafengoult” in the province of Taroudant, that is expected to cost 101 Mln MAD.
In the agricultural sector, 300,000 quintals (defined as 100 kg) of barley have been distributed to some 36,000 farmers in the affected areas, about 57% of the affected farmers, according to the press release.
The government also started distributing free livestock in January to farmers who have lost their herds, and is engaging in ongoing rehabilitation of 126 kilometers of small and medium-scale waterways and restoration and construction of 54 kilometers of rural tracks and roads.
In the tourism sector, following a survey of the 456 tourist accommodation establishments affected areas, 155 establishments had submitted requests for support via the electronic platforms dedicated to this purpose. The first payout of this support is expected in February, totaling 87 Mln MAD.
In the education sector, 80% of the 1,709 schools in the principal quake affected region were impacted, and efforts have been made to guarantee the continuity of studies in the affected areas. 42 health centers had to be upgraded in January.
Significant work under the earthquake reconstruction program remains to be done. Many people are still living in tents and struggling.