Following a terrible earthquake that struck in the Kingdom of Morocco, rescuers are currently in a tough battle to access remote areas and clear blocked and rugged pathways in isolated towns.
A 6.8-magnitude quake hit Marrakesh, the commercial capital of Morocco on Friday, September 8, 2023, killing more than 2,900 people while 5,530 others sustained injury.
The earthquake resulted to landslide that blocked access to roads, thereby making it difficult for rescue teams to reach the mountainous areas.
Given the worrisome condition of the disaster-hit area, cars were unable to traverse the towns of Ijjoukak and Talat N’Yaaqoub, two of the mountainous villages and the epicentre of the quake, located in the province of Al-Haouz.
All efforts to remove rocks and dust from the roads have been slow for fear of potential rockslides, while the roads cleared by the rescuers are too narrow for two cars to pass in different directions.
In addition, military aircrafts were used to deliver blankets and aid to the remote mountain areas that could not be accessed by cars.
The United Nations estimates that more than 300,000 people were affected in Marrakesh and in the High Atlas Mountains.
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