Mohammed VI launches emergency measures to deal with the effects of the earthquake in the Marrakech region

The King of Morocco Mohammed VI chaired a working session at the Royal Palace in Rabat with the main officials of the Government and ministries concerned by the effects of the earthquake in the region of Marrakech, the Royal Armed Forces, regional and local authorities of the affected provinces, law enforcement services and Civil Protection teams to learn about the measures taken following the earthquake which has so far claimed more than 1,300 lives. 

Mohammed VI ordered as soon as the earthquake was registered and the serious damages suffered, the deployment of all the human and material means, terrestrial and aerial, necessary to attend to the victims and to look for survivors in the rubble. 

After an initial emergency assessment of the measures taken, the King called for an intensification of efforts in view of the magnitude of the strongest earthquake in the history of Morocco, with an intensity of 7 on the Richter scale, which has claimed the lives of more than 1,300 people and injured more than 1,800 and caused material damage in several cities in the affected region around Marrakech. 

Full text of the communiqué of the Royal Cabinet:

"His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, accompanied by HRH Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, chaired, this Saturday afternoon, September 9, 2023, at the Royal Palace in Rabat, a working session devoted to reviewing the situation following the earthquake that struck on Friday, September 8, and caused human and material losses in several regions of the Kingdom.

In this context, the officials present presented to His Majesty the King, God help him, the latest developments in the affected prefectures and provinces, especially in some localities that were inaccessible during the night and where the assessment of the situation and the intervention of relief could only be carried out at dawn.

During this session, the officials present briefed the Very High Royal Highness on the details of the measures taken in order to respond rapidly to this major natural catastrophe.

These emergency measures, constantly instructed and monitored by His Majesty the King, God help him, from the first moments after the earthquake, and involving the Royal Armed Forces, local authorities, law enforcement services and civil protection teams, as well as the ministerial departments concerned, focused mainly on:

• The reinforcement of search and rescue resources and teams in order to speed up rescue operations and the evacuation of injured persons;
• The supply of drinking water to the affected areas;
• The distribution of food kits, tents and blankets to the victims;
• The rapid resumption of public services.

It should be recalled, in this regard, that by High Instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, the FAR urgently deployed significant human and logistical resources, air and land, as well as specialized intervention modules based on search and rescue teams, as well as a Medical-Surgical Field Hospital.

Within this framework, His Majesty the King gave his Highest Instructions to continue with speed the relief actions carried out on the ground, as well as to:

• To immediately create an inter-ministerial committee in charge of deploying an emergency program aimed at rehabilitating and helping to rebuild as soon as possible the destroyed houses in the disaster areas.
• Attend to people in distress, especially orphans and vulnerable people.
• Immediately care for all those made homeless by the earthquake, especially in terms of shelter, food and all other basic needs.
• Encourage economic operators with a view to quickly resume activities in the areas concerned.
• Open a special account with the Treasury and Bank Al Maghrib to receive voluntary contributions of solidarity from citizens and private and public organizations.
• The full mobilization of the Mohammed VI Foundation for Solidarity, with all its components, in order to support and accompany the citizens of the affected areas.
• The constitution of reserves and stocks of basic necessities (medicines, tents, beds, food, etc.) in all regions of the Kingdom to cope with any type of disaster.

It was also decided to declare 3 days of national mourning, with flags at half-mast in all public buildings.

Moreover, His Majesty the King, Amir Al Muminin, gave His High Instructions to the Minister of Habith and Islamic Affairs to perform the Absent One's Prayer (Salat Al Ghaib) in all mosques in the Kingdom, for the repose of the souls of the victims.

The Sovereign also expressed the most sincere thanks of the Kingdom of Morocco to many brotherly countries and friends who expressed their solidarity with the Moroccan people in this situation, several of which expressed their readiness to provide assistance in these particular circumstances.

This working session was attended by the Head of Government, Mr. Aziz Akhannouch, the Minister of the Interior, Mr. Abdelouafi Laftit, the Minister of Health and Social Protection, Mr. Khalid Ait Taleb, the Minister of the Interior, Mr. Abdelouafi Laftit, and the Minister of Health and Social Protection, Mr. Khalid Ait Taleb. Khalid Ait Taleb, as well as the General of the Army Corps, Mohammed Berrid, Inspector General of the FAR and Commander of the Southern Zone, the General of the Army Corps, Mohammed Haramou, Commander of the Royal Gendarmerie, the Brigadier General, Mohamed Elabbar, Inspector of the Military Health Service of the FAR, the Major Colonel, Ihassane Lotfi, Director General of the Civil Protection, Mr. Abdellatif Hammouchi, Director General of National Security, Director General of National Territory Surveillance, and Mr. Mohammed El Azami, coordinator and member of the Board of Directors of the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity".