Half a year has passed since the 7.0 magnitude earthquake shook Morocco’s lands and its people’s hearts, half a year since the tragedy stole almost 3,000 thousand souls. The calamity sucked the spirit from Moroccans souls, and resulted in the world witnessing one of the largest examples of solidarity to date, exemplified by the race to donate food, medicine, blankets, clothing, blood, and money via Special Fund No. 126, which was created to expedite donations to provide disaster relief to victims.
Since the war started in Gaza, fewer pens wrote about the affected people, and even fewer mouths discussed their plight. The affected parts of Morocco are known for their harsh climate, mainly during winter, where cold snaps quickly freeze potable water sources, as youths walk barefoot and lightly dressed. They were for a moment the center of all attention; however, the buzz, sympathy, and action from both the funding authorities and the general populace gradually wore off.
To provide an update on the situation and where are we from the promises and overall management of the aftermath, Barlaman Today took to the road; specifically, to Adassil village in Chichaoua province near Marrakech. Adassil had been one of the most difficult villages to reach due to the danger of deadly boulders falling on roads after the quake, and even before the quake, the area was notorious for its ruggedness.
We met Hassan there, a 24-year-old construction worker, who does double duty as a farmer during agricultural periods. He conveyed to us the daily routine of life in the village since that nightmarish night.
Hassan was resting with his brother in the living-room, chatting and scrolling at his phone on September 8, when he heard a loud sound coming from outside. He thought it was a truck or a tractor until the earth started shaking under his feet. The brothers did not understand what was going on at first, it took them a few seconds to realize that it was an earthquake. Under the shock, they jumped from their places and ran to the room where their mother had been sleeping and proceeded to awaken her and evacuate her from the house. It was at that point that the house started to collapse.
The village’s (douar’s) inhabitants were all outside, wearing shocked faces and managing shaking hearts, all looking at their houses–or what remained of them–possessing not the slightest idea as to what their lives would look like after this tragedy. The men began to extract bodies from under the rubble. They all spent the night out in the cold, with no blankets to cover them from autumn’s burgeoning cold, or pillows to cushion their heads. For that night, only dust and rock served as their pillows, before the aid would commence the following evening.
“We did not eat the entire following day; we were starving,” Hassan said. “The assistance started arriving the evening following the tragedy, as the roads were all damaged, and the rocks were falling from the mountains, cutting off the road for cars and trucks.
“When the first truck bringing food arrived, it was like a holiday for the douar’s inhabitants,” he added. “We received it with tears on our eyes and joy in our hearts, as we were thankful to all our compatriots for their generosity. We were not expecting all that, and no words can describe how thrilled and delighted we were for what we received–whether it was food, clothes, equipment, blood, or blankets, it was all useful at that time, and still is.”
Starting from that day, life in the regions greatly affected by the earthquake changed. From sleeping under a roof to sleeping under the sky, the luckiest ones are living in their houses because they were not destroyed. The less lucky received dwellings in the form of aluminum containers–covering their heads and protecting their furniture from the rain–while the unlucky ones had tents to live in. Of course, the most unfortunate individuals passed away that night or while smothered under the ruins waiting for help.
“Earthquakes cause destruction, but we intend to rehabilitate and rebuild the devastated areas,” the King underlined in his Royal Speech at the annual Parliament opening, during the second week of October, 2023. “The State will allot 140,000 MAD for destroyed houses and 80,000 MAD for partially-collapsed homes.”
Responding to thousands of public assistance applications submitted between October 17 and November 17, 2023, local housing census commissions identified 32,640 homes the owners of which met the necessary conditions to receive compensation, including 1,603 totally collapsed homes and 31,037 partially collapsed homes. This brought the total number of financial aid recipients to 59,438 households as of January 31, 2024.
Hassan indicated that he has just received the first part (20,000 MAD) of the reconstruction support intended for the excavation, for determining the house’s dimensions, and for the topography issues. At that point, the authorities plan to review the files and deliver the construction plans and authorizations. When this phase will be finished, the second part will be delivered, as few of them have yet to receive it. In other words, the region has been buried twice, first in an avalanche of destruction from the quake, and now from immersion in bureaucratic paperwork. Until now, only six houses had accomplished the first step of the construction process and were waiting for the second phase of the aid.
Local authorities indicated that the file study and the construction plan are to be delivered within a maximum of 14 days. While the locals are complaining that the procedures take too much time, many of them have accomplished the first steps and have sent paperwork to obtain the construction plan and authorization to receive the second half of the funding. However, it has been pending for weeks or even months. One man working at the administration told us that the lack of communication between different departments is the biggest issue here, and that it blocks all mechanisms by which to free up the remaining aid for the countless still-homeless intended recipients.
Even prior to the earthquake, the houses in Adassil, as in many other villages across the country, were made of mud. This obviously makes them fragile, and whenever it rains, the ceilings drip. However, after the tragedy, those who have started the reconstruction process are simply investing too much in their houses and in improving building quality.
The poverty rate is so high at the Atlas Mountains that the only way to survive there is to look after each other. Since the support stopped months ago, the only items they have received recently are blankets and mattresses from charities. Job opportunities are virtually nonexistent.
A total of 57,596 families began receiving monthly financial assistance of 2,500 dirhams beginning in January, following the King’s orders to financially support the families affected by the earthquake.
Hassan said, “I work as a builder, but as construction is stopped due to Ramadan and the undelivered authorizations, I do some farming at the grove with my friends. Our lands are so fertile, but they are hard to cultivate because of the soil’s quality. Generally, we cultivate wheat, malt, lentils, beans, vegetables, almonds, nuts, and olives.”
“Our lives changed completely after the quake. Before, our mothers used to go to collect firewood, but now, we cannot ignite it inside the tents or the aluminum houses. It will burn, as we don’t have a place to store it. We started fetching water from the spring. It had been years that we had water at our houses. We are not used to that activity anymore, and it is hard to go back to it. Our kids don’t go to their school because it was all damaged; their school now is a tent,” Hassan added.
“We also used to breed livestock, but we sold everything, our barns collapsed, and we couldn’t keep any. We used to have cows, bulls, sheep, goats, and chickens. Some of us kept a donkey to facilitate the transportation,” he continued.
“Instead of a kitchen, we have a tent to cook and gather our kitchen equipment, and instead of a mosque we have a small tent where we pray. It is too small for us, especially now, during Ramadan. We cannot pray all together the “Tarawih” there, or even the “Jomaa” prayer (Friday prayer), and it gets worse when it rains.”
“Our days are empty; we gather after finishing the daily basic tasks at someone’s “house” to exchange and discuss several topics, as we help each other at the kitchen cooking our meals, while the kids are playing together outside with their toys or bikes.”
On the hill opposite Hassan’s actual dwelling, there are few houses, completely turned into ruins because of the quake, with no house having survived the tremor. Three lives were lost there that night, including two children.
“As we always do during Ramadan’s month, our day concludes with preparing our Iftar meal (dinner after the sunset) and our Maghrib prayer. Moroccan tea is a must on our table, as is bread or Tafernout too.”
To conclude the journey with a ray of hope, Barlaman Today’s trip to Adassil coincided with and witnessed the delivery of King Mohammed VI’s aid operation of “Ramadan 1445,” assisting the most vulnerable Moroccans in this month, primarily widows, the elderly, and people with disabilities via the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity. The aid includes flour, milk, rice, oil, sugar, tomato paste, vermicelli, lentils, and tea.
Crossing the Assif Lmal community, the aid recipients were chanting “Long live the King” and engaged in ululation as a form of thanks and showing joy and gratitude for the support.
On the same day, Morocco’s National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF) was distributing wood-burning stoves to the population there to help them stay warm during coldest days.
The earthquake may have caused death to thousands of individuals—while changing the lives of thousands more–but it revived many water sources within the region. For example, Abou Abbas Sebti dam is 80% full now, while it had been years it even approached 40-50%. This is thanks to the new water sources, as at least eight new water sources had appeared at Chichaoua province, many of them feeding into that dam.
Another advantage the population gained after the earthquake was that the road leading to the village finally got paved. Also, the neighboring village of Taskourt, which had been partially damaged, is now fully reconstructed.
King Mohammed VI gave instructions to support the affected population by the earthquake; some of the orders were fulfilled, but many issues are still pending and will take time to be realized, as the most vulnerable continue to suffer in their tents and face life-threatening cold snaps and poverty.
As the echoes of solidarity fade, the reality of unfulfilled promises looms large in Morocco’s earthquake-affected regions. While initial aid brought hope, the lingering delays in delivering crucial support and authorizations underscore the ongoing struggle faced by displaced families. Despite glimpses of progress, the path to full recovery remains fraught with challenges, leaving many to endure prolonged hardship amidst the rubble of shattered homes. As Morocco continues its journey towards rebuilding, the resilience of its people serves as a beacon of hope, reminding us of the enduring spirit which perseveres even in the face of adversity.