Moroccans Await Initiative to Inventory Houses Damaged in the Earthquake
(AWP) - A Moroccan woman stood within the walls of her cracked house to say that she is waiting for aid to arrive and save her from "homelessness", a day after authorities announced an inventory initiative to estimate the houses damaged or demolished by the deadly earthquake that killed 3000 people and displaced thousands of others in al-Haouz province.
On Monday, Morocco launched a national programme to estimate destroyed or damaged houses, with the aim of providing their owners with rebuilding funds.
Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch said that technical experts are working on locating the houses that were either totally or partially destroyed.
Nonetheless, Khadija, who didn’t provide her surname while talking inside her damaged house in the town of Tameslouht, less than 20 kilometres far from Marrakech, says that she is yet to receive any support.
"Praise be to God for this decision. May God help our master. He has not forgotten us. He stood by us… may God stand with him," she said, referring to the title of Moroccan King Mohammed VI.
"But so far, no aid has reached us. May God reward him well, but nothing has reached us… I have no place to go... I have no alternative. I now live in the street... in the street... living as a homeless. There is no one to save you, no affection [from anyone], no mercy, except God Almighty," she added.
According to the Moroccan Royal Court’s latest estimates, nearly 50,000 houses are either completely destroyed or partially damaged due to the earthquake.
The Moroccan Interior Ministry said that the latest death toll currently stands at 2946 persons and 5674 wounded as a result of the earthquake that hit the areas of al-Haouz, Taroudant, Marrakech and Chichaoua.
In a press conference following a government meeting on Monday, Akhannouch said that "today's meeting was an opportunity to first determine the priorities in this social programme in line with the instructions of our master [King]".
"The technical work is now in the field to determine homes that have collapsed completely or partially. Within this, there is also a ministerial committee that is working continuously in cooperation with the government on mechanisms that allow us to work in an exemplary manner. Also, with regard to the directives of our master to restructure these regions and give them new horizons for development...we have a discussion and dialogue about the important investments that we will consider in the future, God willing," Akhannouch said.