Tragedy Unfolds: Moroccan Mountain Villages Devastated by Earthquake

Following a devastating earthquake in Morocco's Atlas Mountains, rescue teams have been tirelessly working to recover bodies and provide aid to remote villages. The death toll has risen to 2,901, with thousands injured, while international aid has started arriving. Despite limited aid acceptance policies, skepticism among some locals persists. The challenges faced by responders, including the unique construction of mud-brick homes, have made the recovery efforts challenging. King Mohammed VI personally donated blood and visited victims in Marrakech, emphasizing solidarity with those affected by the tragedyRescuers Unearth Tragedy in Moroccan Mountain Villages After Earthquake

In the wake of a devastating earthquake that struck Morocco's Atlas Mountains last week, rescue efforts have intensified, revealing the heartbreaking toll the disaster has taken on remote villages high in the mountains. The death and injury counts have surged as responders reached these isolated communities.

Desolation in Imi N’Tala

In the village of Imi N’Tala, perched high in the Atlas Mountains, the air was thick with the unmistakable scent of death. The catastrophic earthquake had reduced the village's mud-brick homes to rubble, claiming the lives of dozens of residents.

With unwavering determination, bulldozers, rescue teams, and Moroccan first responders toiled tirelessly, working around the clock in a bid to locate the eight to ten victims believed to still be trapped beneath the debris. Among those desperately hoping for closure was Ait Ougadir Al Houcine, who tragically lost his sister in the disaster.  Some people lost all their cattle. Everything is lost, Everything is gone.”

Imi N'Tala, a village primarily inhabited by herders and farmers, suffered a staggering loss of 96 lives in the earthquake. The scenes here were mirrored in numerous other communities along the treacherous mountain roads to the south of Marrakech. Men, draped in donated djellabas, laid out their prayer rugs amidst the dust and rocks when open space was scarce. Donkeys added their mournful cries to the chorus, while residents tried to mask the overwhelming stench of decomposition.

Rising Toll and International Aid

As responders pushed further into these remote villages, the death and injury counts continued to climb. Moroccan authorities reported a grim toll of 2,901 deaths and several thousand injuries as of Tuesday. The United Nations estimated that around 300,000 people had been affected by the magnitude 6.8 earthquake.

King Mohammed VI, on Tuesday, made a poignant visit to a hospital in Marrakech, located approximately 40 miles north of Imi N’Tala. Here, he donated blood, demonstrating solidarity with the earthquake's victims. Aid began pouring into Imi N'Tala and neighboring communities like Anougal, Imi N'Isli, and Igourdane. White and yellow tents lined the partially paved roads, while stacks of water bottles and milk cartons provided a lifeline to those in need. Moroccans from larger cities offered clay tagine pots and carefully packed bags of food aid.

International Response and Challenges

Camera crews from France, Spain, and Qatar's Al Jazeera descended on the scene, bearing witness to the tireless efforts of Moroccan emergency responders and international teams. They worked relentlessly to extract bodies from the ruins, facing the ever-present danger of collapsing structures. Unlike buildings in other earthquake-prone regions, the mud-brick homes in Imi N'Tala left little room for trapped individuals to access the air they needed to survive, according to Patrick Villadry of the French rescue crew, ULIS.

Villadry emphasized their unwavering commitment, stating, “When we dig, we look for someone alive. From there, we don’t ask ourselves questions. If they’re alive, great.

Morocco had imposed limits on the amount of earthquake aid allowed into the country, permitting response teams from only four nations—Spain, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar—as well as various NGOs. Among the few French NGOs that managed to reach the disaster site was Villadry's five-person, four-dog crew from Nice, which arrived on Saturday.

While the government's rationale for this restricted aid policy was to prevent poorly coordinated efforts, it has sparked skepticism among some Moroccans. Brahim Ait Blasri, who watched the recovery efforts in Imi N'Tala, expressed his doubts, saying, “It's not true. It's politics. We have to set aside our pride. This is too much.”

By: Sunil Kumar, Attingal