Earthquake Emergency Relief/Search and Rescue

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.