The King of Morocco shows his full support for the victims of the earthquake in Marrakesh
The King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, visited on Tuesday afternoon in Marrakech the injured victims of the earthquake that struck the North African country in the early hours of last Friday and Saturday, which has already left more than 2,900 dead and more than 5,530 injured, according to data from the Moroccan Ministry of the Interior.
The Alawi monarch visited several people affected at the Mohamed VI University Hospital Centre in Marrakech where he "inquired about the state of health of the wounded", before donating blood, according to the official Moroccan news agency MAP.
The King of Morocco was at the hospital for about an hour, checking on the state of health of several victims and offering them all his support and that of the Moroccan population.
The Alaouite sovereign inquired about the state of health of the injured victims of the terrible earthquake, which caused major human and material losses in several regions of the Moroccan kingdom.
Mohammed VI visited the resuscitation and hospitalisation services for the victims of the earthquake and was informed of the state of health of the injured and the care they are receiving from the medical teams mobilised to attend to those affected, as reported by the MAP agency.
The King of Morocco wanted to offer great moral support to the injured and their families in these difficult times, showing that the Moroccan state continues to work with all means to assist and support those affected and also to rehabilitate areas hit by the earthquake.
According to the MAP agency, some 2 171 injured people have been admitted to hospitals in the Marrakech-Safi region, 484 of whom are seriously injured and 1 570 slightly. 248 people are still hospitalised.
On the occasion of his visit to the hospital in Marrakech, King Mohammed VI donated blood, a sign of solidarity and support for the victims and the families affected, which further strengthens the bond between the Moroccan people and the monarchy of the North African country.
Emergency assistance
Shortly after the earthquake, which measured 7 on the Richter scale (the worst in Morocco's history), King Mohammed VI took charge of coordinating the emergency response and the Royal Armed Forces were quickly called into action under high royal instructions.
Following the earthquake that had its epicentre in the Al-Haouz region, the King of Morocco also chaired an important working session on Saturday with civilian and military officials from the organisations involved in the rescue, assistance and humanitarian work. At this working meeting, the lines of work of the strategy to be followed to help first of all those affected and then to rehabilitate the affected areas were set out.
A titanic task that the Moroccan Administration has been facing due to the extent of the affected area, which includes enclaves such as Al-Haouz, Taroudant, Marrakech, Chichaoua, Ouarzazate and Casablanca.
At this working meeting, the Moroccan monarch thanked all the support and expressions of affection received from other countries, and stated that aid would not be requested from many countries because massive aid is not the best, but rather that which is useful, effective and well coordinated, and with a meticulous assessment of the specific needs on the ground, carried out by those responsible in each affected place.
In this regard, the North African country only requested assistance from Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and the United Kingdom. All this despite the fact that other countries offered to collaborate, such as the United States and France. Even the French president, Emmanuel Macron, expressed his dismay on social networks, showing all his support and help to the Moroccan people for the tragedy suffered, despite the fact that diplomatic relations between the two countries are not at their best at the moment.
The detachments of the countries present on the ground to help have been in constant contact with the Moroccan officials and already had their area of work assigned prior to their arrival, thus demonstrating the good coordination between the various parties.
It was also decided at the meeting that, depending on the evolution of events and the intervention operation, the need to call on the support of other nations would be assessed, and it was also decided to decree three days of national mourning.