A violent earthquake has struck the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. More than 2,900 people died and over 5,500 were injured, most of whom resided in remote villages deep in the Atlas Mountains. Thousands more were affected, upwards of 59,674 houses were damaged, approximately 32% of which completely collapsed.
Most of the houses close to the epicenter consisted of clay bricks, and were not reinforced. This was cataclysmic for the numerous small communities in the region.
Reports say the 6.8 magnitude earthquake’s reach extended as far as Portugal and Algeria. Although what made it particularly devastating was its depth, being just 18 km from the surface, the shaking was intense. Also significant was its proximity to Marrakech, its epicenter being just 72 km away from the large city.
Marrakech, a city originating in the 11th century, experienced significant cultural and historical loss. Though most of its infrastructure is built to modern standards, its historic medina district fell victim to the earthquake; some structures collapsed that were constructed over 1000 years ago.
Now, a formidable challenge looms over Morocco's government: Reconstruction. Some of Morocco’s poorest regions were affected, these areas lack sufficient roads and public services. The Royal Palace has just committed to a 120 billion dirhams (32.7 billion USD) post-earthquake reconstruction plan which includes infrastructure upgrades for the next five years. In terms of immediate financial aid, minister Faouzi Lekjaa says the government plans to offer 2,500 dirhams monthly for a year to the affected households, as well as 140,000 dirhams compensation for totally destroyed homes and 80,000 for those partially damaged.