All International USAR Teams, EMT and other relief teams please update your team factsheets in the "Relief Teams" tab on the top left.
Teams/Responders that are outside Morocco, for more information, please contact Lucien Jaggi, OCHA/UNDAC Desk Officer by WhatsApp only: +41766910226
Teams/Responders that are inside Morocco, for more information, please contact the UNDAC advanced team lead in Marrakech, Sergio Da Silva: +41795000013 - dasilva3@un.org
As of 13 Sept, the INSARAG Secretariat is aware of the following USAR teams on the ground: - Qatar
- Spain (two teams: UME and ERICAM)
- UAE
- UK (ISAR)
Other teams are on standby and awaiting bilateral authorization. Some teams have indicated standing down.
@NGOs: Please note that bilateral agreement with the Moroccan is needed to operate in the country.
Disaster information
On September 8, 2023, a M 6.8 earthquake near Oukaïmedene, Morocco occurred roughly 75 km southeast of Marrakech according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
At least 632 killed and 329 injured, according to Moroccan state media, as of Saturday at 7:28 a.m. According to the Ministry of Interior, the number of injured victims also increased from 153 to at least 329. The number includes 51 victims who are in critical conditions. According to the ministry, Al Haouz registered the majority of deaths (290), followed by Taroudant (190), Chichaoua (89), Ouarzazate (30), Marrakech (13), and Azilal (11). Source Morocco World News.
Morocco has deployed its own search and rescue, military assets and the Red Crescent Society volunteers to support. No request for international assistance has been received from the Government of Morocco as of 10 Sept, 9 PM Geneva time. A limited number of USAR teams have reported deploying following bilateral agreement with the Government A small UNDAC team has deployed today to provide coordination support to the UN Resident Coordinator in Rabbat and provide support in Marrakesh. Report as of 2pm CET / 8 Sept
The event: during the night of Friday 8 to Saturday 9 September 2023, an earthquake with a magnitude of between 6.8 and 7 on the Richter scale struck Morocco. The epicenter was in the High Atlas Mountains, about 72 kilometers (44.7 miles) southwest of Marrakech, and were also felt in coastal cities of Rabat, Casablanca and Essaouira,
Report from secondary data analysis as of 12 Sept COB:
Overview
The recent earthquake in Morocco resulted in a tragic toll of 2,862 deaths, more than 2,400 wounded and affected over 380,000 individuals, notably impacting children. With damages potentially reaching nearly 8% of Morocco's GDP, regions like Al Haouz, Taroudant, and Chichaoua are hardest hit. Infrastructure has been severely compromised: several educational institutions are damaged, while villages like Tafeghaghte and Moulay Brahim face significant displacement due to the destruction of most of their housing infrastructure. Healthcare services are under strain, moving outdoors in areas like Marrakech, and mental health impacts are becoming evident. Logistical challenges pervade, as major roads connecting crucial points are gridlocked or under repair like the route from Tahannaout to Taroudant, hindering aid to the most remote villages. Immediate needs revolve around rescue, debris clearance, and essentials like food, water, and especially warm clothing for places with temperature drops, like Tinmel. The disaster has spotlighted infrastructure vulnerabilities, especially in healthcare and transportation, indicating areas for urgent intervention and future preparedness.
- Casualties: As of Tuesday 12th September, a total of 2,862 deaths have been reported: 1,604 in Al Haouz, 976 in Taroudant Province, 202 in Chichaoua Province, and 18 in Marrakesh Prefecture, according to the Government of Morocco. Particularly devastated villages like Tafeghaghte report over half of their approximately 200 residents deceased. Furthermore, Moulay Brahim village witnessed 25 fatalities. The total number of injured individuals has risen to 2,562 by the evening of 11/09 (Government of Morocco 11/09/2023, AP 11/09/2023, Hespress 11/09/2023).
- Number of people affected: Over 380,000 individuals have been affected by the earthquake, with UNICEF highlighting that of this number, more than 100,000 are children (IMC 11/09/2023, UN 11/09/2023, UNICEF 11/09/2023).
- Economic loss: The US Geological Survey estimated that the costs of the damage due to the earthquake could reach 8% of Morocco's GDP (USGS 11/09/2023).
Sectoral impact
- Shelter: Close to the town of Moulay Brahin, near Asni, nearly every house has been rendered uninhabitable, displacing around 2,000 residents. Tafeghaghte, a secluded village in the Atlas Mountains, has been largely decimated, and Tikht village, sheltering at least 100 families, saw a significant number of homes demolished. In Tinmel, the devastation was so severe that the entire community is now without shelter. Contributing to the severity of the destruction is the local construction tradition of using mud and clay, which led to the complete collapse of numerous buildings (CNN 11/09/2023, Al Jazeera 11/09/2023, Middle East Eye 11/09/2023, Reuters 11/09/2023).
- Health: The earthquake caused over 2,400 injuries, with many requiring urgent care in Marrakech. Healthcare services, strained by the influx and aftershocks, moved outdoors, necessitating essential resources. PTSD symptoms are prevalent among victims. In remote villages, self-managed burials raise concerns about potential disease outbreaks (IMC 11/09/2023, Project HOPE 11/09/2023, Moroccan Mental Health and Psychiatry Specialists League 11/09/2023, The Guardian 11/09/2023).
- Logistics: In the highest and most remote towns as Ijoukak and surrounding hamlets affected by the earthquake, power and water outages were reported (The Guardian 11/09/2023).
- Education: Education in 42 communities across Al Haouz, Chichaoua, and Taroudant has been halted due to the earthquake's impact. Of these, 530 educational institutions and 55 boarding schools sustained damage. Despite this, nationwide classes continue. The Ministry is focusing on assessing damage and ensuring uninterrupted learning in the affected areas (Le 360 11/09/2023).
- Livelihoods: In Moulay Brahim, markets and stores are closed as of September 11 (Reuters 11/09/2023).
Needs and gaps
- Priority needs: Immediate attention is directed towards rescue efforts and clearing debris. Essential necessities such as water, food, and shelter are urgently needed for the victims. While healthcare, sanitation, and mental health support are widely required, in the remote town of Tinmel, the pressing demand is specifically for non-food items like blankets and warm clothing because of significant night-time temperature falls (CARE 11/09/2023), IMC 11/09/2023, UNICEF 11/09/2023, Reuters 11/09/2023).
- Health: The distribution of health facilities reveals a pronounced deficiency in the hardest-hit regions, contrasted by Marrakech and Taroudant's relative preparedness as compared to rural Al Haouz. Marrakech's adaptation to outdoor medical care underscores an immediate need for logistical support to ensure outdoor services, including fuel, generators, or tents. In Asni, the field hospital faces severe logistic and saturation challenges while it struggles to assist patients timely (Crisis Ready 11/09/2023, MSF 11/09/2023, IMC 11/09/2023, Hespress 11/09/2023, Le 360 11/09/2023).
- Protection: Despite robust mobilisation by public health professionals in Al Haouz, the prevalent use of communal tent accommodations raises pressing concerns about space and privacy (Hespress 11/09/2023c).
- Shelter/NFI:Low temperatures in mountainous areas call for urgent arrival of tents, blankets and warm clothing (UNICEF 11/09/2023).
- Priority areas: Moulay Brahim, Asni, Tafeghaghte, Tinmel, Ijoukak (CNN 11/09/2023, Al Jazeera 11/09/2023, The Guardian 11/09/2023).
Humanitarian access
Significant roadways, including National Road No. 8 to Agadir and routes in Azilal, Tata, and other key regions, have been restored. However, vital connections like the route from Tahannaout to Taroudant remain under repair. Monday evening witnessed a traffic jam on the principal highway linking High Atlas Mountains to Marrakech, primarily attributed to the relief aid movement. Despite these efforts, remote villages past Tafeghaghet, including areas surrounding Ijoukak, are yet to receive aid due to inaccessibility ( Ministry of Equipment, Transport, Logistics, and Water 12/09/2023, Logistics Cluster 12/09/2023, Reuters 11/09/2023, Hespress 11/09/2023, The Guardian 11/09/2023). |
