On the evening of September 8, a powerful earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale struck Morocco, occurring just after 11 p.m. local time. The quake originated at a depth of 11.5 miles, with its epicentre located 44 miles southwest of Marrakesh, specifically in the High Atlas Mountains of Al Haouz province. This region is home to numerous quaint and picturesque villages, many of which have suffered devastating consequences.
Among the impacted areas, Marrakesh, a historically significant and immensely popular tourist destination, bore the brunt of the damage. With a population of 840,000, it was the most heavily affected large city. The seismic shockwaves reverberated across several other Moroccan cities, including Casablanca, Agadir, Essaouira, and Rabat. Additionally, the earthquake’s tremors were felt in neighbouring Algeria and even as far as Portugal. The catastrophe has left no less than 380,000 people grappling with its aftermath.
Despite Marrakesh and Taroudant being relatively more affluent areas, the earthquake’s epicentre lay in a predominantly rural and mountainous terrain characterized by lower levels of relative wealth. This situation is particularly acute in the vicinity of the epicentre. These mountainous villages, nestled in remote locations, present formidable challenges in terms of accessibility for relief efforts and resource allocation. Adding to the difficulties, telecommunication outages have severed their connections with the surrounding region.
Remarkably, this earthquake stands as the most powerful to hit Morocco in over a century, with records stretching back at least 120 years. The seismic event has been followed by hundreds of aftershocks, the strongest of which registered at 5.9 on the Richter scale. Forecasts indicate that these aftershocks will persist into the foreseeable future.