In Morocco, the death toll from the Al Haouz earthquake is now nearly 3,000 dead and more than 5,000 injured. The city of Marrakech was also affected, to a lesser extent, with 18 deaths and many homes destroyed. Mainly in the medina and in the Mellah, the old Jewish quarter which has many traditional houses. In Mellah, dozens of families continue to sleep outside, in the street, while the Moroccan authorities offer to shelter them in a stadium transformed into a reception area.
2 mins
Report from one of our special correspondents in Morocco, David Bache
They sleep in the middle of a large square, surrounded by pretty restaurants and crossed daily by thousands of passers-by. Bouchra and Rachida can no longer return home. Too damaged, their building threatens to collapse. The first is there with her husband and children. The second, very old, is alone: “ We’ve been here for a week, our stuff at home. »
The municipality opened a camp at the August 20 stadium and yet they prefer to be here and not in the stadium: “ We want to stay here nearby because we have all our things at home, the refrigerator, everything. We can’t walk away “, said one of them. As for the other: “ I slept here on the floor. No, not the stadium. Here, near the house, there are many thieves here. »
Annoyance
Some local residents bring them food and drink. Others, like Fouad, do not hide their annoyance at seeing them remain on the street even though there are shelter solutions: “ I take a very dim view of it. They’re happy with the stuff we give them, they sell it to the shops, water and all that. That’s the only reason they don’t want to leave. There is also the problem that they are afraid that if they leave and we rebuild, the owners will not rehouse them. But the State promised them that it would. »
The Moroccan authorities are already working on a plan to rebuild destroyed housing. But obviously this will take time.
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