Earthquake Emergency Relief/Search and Rescue

On September 8 at 11:11 p.m., a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Morocco–the most powerful in over 120 years. Three weeks on, the death toll has risen to 2,901, with 5,530 people injured. Peace Winds is working hard to ensure devastated communities have the urgent help they need.

The region around Marrakesh has been most impacted, and many survivors most in need of help are living in villages in remote areas of the Atlas mountains. With a focus on vulnerable families, Peace Winds delivered solar panels and lights to survivors of one remote village who are living in tents outside their homes.

This week, Peace Winds teams working in the area met with the local leader of the village, Ms. Ekvira. Previously, it has been hard to contact her due to her phone running out of battery, but the solar panels are ensuring that everyone has enough electricity. Ms. Ekvira showed us the tent where she is living along with the solar panel on her roof and the light inside.

“We couldn’t see anything at night before, but now that we have electricity, it’s really helped,” said Mohammad, the village’s deputy leader. Many families have installed their solar light at the entrance to their tents.

Although it will be a long time before homes here are habitable again, living conditions have improved in the village over the past three weeks. The government has installed water storage tanks, and people are now able to do laundry. Communal kitchens and toilets, which were previously exposed to the elements, are now protected by temporary tents.

As international aid decreases, Morocco’s earthquake survivors will continue to live in temporary shelters until they are able to rebuild. Peace Winds is working to make the most of donations to support recovery in Morocco as long as we are able. Please click here to make a donation toward our earthquake relief efforts. Thank you for your continued support.

On September 11, six Peace Winds staff members arrived in Morocco to assess needs and provide support to survivors of the earthquake that struck the country on September 8. The epicenter of the 6.8 magnitude earthquake is located in a mountainous region about 43 miles outside of Marrakesh, but many homes and historic buildings in and around the city had been damaged or destroyed.

Peace Winds’ Emergency Response Team found that survivors’ needs were greater closer to the epicenter in and around Amizmiz. The aftershocks here are substantial, and many result in landslides on the fragile, rocky mountain surfaces. Rather than gathering in mass evacuation shelters, residents of towns like these are living in tents outside their homes. 

Access across the mountain roads is difficult, but most recently, Peace Winds teams provided solar lights to a town in need about an hour from Amizmiz. The approximately 120 people here have congregated in 17 tents on the top of a large cliff and only had two solar lights for everyone to see at night. The Peace Winds team supplied solar lights for each tent, to ensure families could navigate the unstable and rocky terrain at night to access the latrines. 

After wells and water supply lines were damaged by the quake, potable water is a critical need in the mountain villages. Peace Winds staff have been delivering food and water, blankets, medical, and sanitary supplies around Marrakesh and Amizmiz.

While some evacuees’ homes are still standing, many remain unsafe for families to occupy. The recovery in Morocco will be long, and Peace Winds is working closely with local organizations that are familiar with the communities most impacted. We so appreciate your continued support.