Late Friday night, the African nation of Morocco experienced a harrowing earthquake registering at a magnitude of 6.8. The epicenter was located near the town of Ighil in the Al Haouz province, approximately 70 kilometers south of Marrakech, a prominent city.
The immediate aftermath confirmed the fears of many: over 2,012 fatalities and more than 2,059 injured individuals, with these numbers sourced from Sunday morning reports. Given the challenges faced by rescuers, especially in remote areas, these counts are expected to climb. In response, the Moroccan government has proclaimed three days of national mourning.
Global leaders and nations have promptly expressed their sympathies and offered assistance. Leading the condolences, Chinese President Xi Jinping reached out to Moroccan King Mohammed VI. Jinping relayed his shock upon hearing of the catastrophe that brought immense human and infrastructural loss. Representing the sentiments of the Chinese government and its people, Jinping conveyed profound grief for the victims and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.
Firmly believing in Morocco’s resilience, Jinping expressed his confidence in the Moroccan king and his people, anticipating they will reconstruct and heal swiftly.
In immediate assistance, the Red Cross Society of China pledged financial support for relief operations. They’ve committed $200,000 to the Moroccan Red Crescent, ensuring that they remain updated on additional needs. Concurrently, the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) has voiced its readiness to provide requisite support.
Chinese medical teams stationed in Morocco were among the initial responders, undeterred by the aftershocks and efficiently treating critically injured patients. As per official sources, no Chinese citizens in Morocco suffered injuries from the earthquake.
International support was overwhelming. The UN, under the leadership of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, affirmed its readiness to assist the Moroccan government. North African nations, Algeria and Tunisia, pledged support, with Algeria facilitating humanitarian aid flights and Tunisia dispatching a rescue team.
Turkey, having recently endured earthquakes, expressed solidarity, offering comprehensive aid. International leaders, including Emmanuel Macron of France, Germany’s Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and Russia’s Vladimir Putin, also conveyed their condolences.
Jun Ma, a Chinese expatriate in Morocco, described the earthquake as a rare, significant event, a sentiment echoed by major media outlets. Meanwhile, a Chinese-French tourist, referred to as Line, recounted her chilling experience near the epicenter. Despite the overwhelming tremors and collapsing infrastructure, she and her group escaped unharmed.
Casablanca’s Jun Ma, although distant from the quake’s epicenter, felt its potency. Reflecting the local response, he shared how Moroccans sought safety outdoors, but he also observed that many regions are returning to normalcy, excluding the severely affected zones. Ma, involved in the tourism sector, anticipates potential cancellations by tourists wary of safety in the wake of this disaster.
Morocco’s geographical location places it at the nexus of the Eurasian and African tectonic plates. Although the region hasn’t experienced substantial seismic activities lately, minor tremors remain frequent. Gao Mengtan, from the China Earthquake Administration (CEA), remarked that Friday’s earthquake emanated from the African Plate, attributed to the fault system adjacent to the Atlas Mountains.
Gao emphasized the ill-preparedness of the local infrastructure, highlighting the similarity between this quake and the 1960 earthquake in Agadir, which killed 12,000 people. He lamented the stagnant progress in improving the seismic resilience of Moroccan buildings.
2023 has seen a marked increase in high-magnitude earthquakes, especially within the Eurasian seismic belt, leading to the highest casualties in recent memory. The CEA expert noted that seismic events have been notably active along the African Plate boundaries, with Morocco’s earthquake reflecting this trend.
This tragedy has not only showcased the vulnerability of regions to natural disasters but has also illuminated the collective spirit of the international community in rallying behind nations in their hour of need.
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