2023 Morocco Earthquake Emergency Response, Recovery, and Reconstruction

On Friday, September 8, 2023, at 11 p.m., a powerful earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale struck in the Atlas Mountains, approximately 43.5 miles south of Marrakech, Morocco, killing an estimated 2900+ people.

This seismic event has had significant repercussions across the built environment in the area, Although exact numbers are yet to be determined, initial indications are that approximately 50% of the building stock across the area sustained varying degrees of damage, ranging from slight damage to complete structural collapse. As a result, more than 50% of the population in the exposed area (400,000+people) have been directly affected, with many more indirectly affected, sleeping outside due to fear, hosting and supporting other families, as well as through road closures, changes in waterways, impacts on agriculture and other livelihoods, etc. Adding to the challenges, many affected communities are located in remote mountainous regions that are difficult to access and where winter, which I fast approaching, can be harsh and further isolating.