Friday’s earthquake — the strongest in Morocco in additional than a century — killed at the least 2862 individuals, as of the most recent loss of life toll replace.
With a lot of the group flattened, survivors labored to clear particles, recuperate the useless and steer the residing away from buildings teetering on the sting of collapse from aftershocks.
“It’s a catastrophe,” said survivor Salah Ancheu, who lives in nearby Amizmiz.
“We do not know what the long run is. The support stays inadequate.”
The efforts in Tafeghaghte mirrored those happening across the North African country’s disaster zone as survivors worked alongside bulldozers to dig through rubble and hope dwindled of finding people alive under the wood-and-dirt homes that collapsed.
The villagers toiled in a scene of horror: The air was filled with the stench of dead cattle. Other animals remained trapped in debris. Bloody bandages were strewn around the streets. Although the community has received food and water, it needs much more.
Meanwhile, rescuers overseas waited for Morocco to let them help. So far, Moroccan officials have accepted government aid from just four countries — Spain, Qatar, Britain and the United Arab Emirates.
Morocco’s Interior Ministry says officials want to avoid a lack of coordination that “could be counterproductive.”
The leader of one of several rescue teams waiting across Europe said Moroccan authorities may remember the chaos that unfolded after a smaller quake in 2004, when international teams overwhelmed the airport and the damaged roads into the hardest hit areas.
Rescuers Without Borders’ founder Arnaud Fraisse told The Associated Press he is withdrawing the organisation’s offer to send nine people to Morocco because “our function is to not discover our bodies.”
Homes crumbled into dust and debris, choking out the air pockets that might allow some people to survive for days under rubble.
“People are usually suffocated by the mud,” Fraisse said.
The United Nations estimates that 300,000 people were affected by the magnitude 6.8 quake, which was made more dangerous by its relatively shallow depth.
Most of the destruction and deaths were in Al Haouz province in the High Atlas Mountains, where steep and winding roads became clogged with rubble leaving villagers to fend for themselves.
In pictures: Hunt for Morocco earthquake survivors continues
Khadija Babamou came from her home in Amizmiz to Tafeghaghte, to check on relatives. She covered her mouth and began to cry as she gripped her sister. “God save us,” she said.
Ibrahim Wahdouch lost two young daughters and two other family members. He said the village looked as if it had been bombed in a war.
“There’s not taking pictures however go searching,” he said.
Those left homeless — or fearing more aftershocks — have slept outside in the streets of the ancient city of Marrakech or under makeshift canopies in devastated Atlas Mountain towns like Moulay Brahim.
In Amizmiz, the larger town about 6km down a twisty road from Tafeghaghte, residents cheered Sunday as soldiers arrived. The army units headed out to the remote villages.
State news agency MAP reported that bulldozers and other equipment are being used to clear routes. Tourists and residents lined up to give blood. In some villages, people wept as boys and helmet-clad police carried the dead through streets.
More help could have quickly poured into Morocco with the government’s permission. Fraisse of Rescuers Without Borders said about 100 rescue teams — with roughly 3000 rescuers in total — are registered with the UN to help.
“It’s their duty. They can do what they need,” Fraisse said. “They did not name. So at present we expect it is now not vital for us to go there, as a result of we cannot do efficient work.”
A Spanish search-and-rescue team arrived in Marrakech and headed to the rural town of Talat N’Yaaqoub, according to Spain’s emergency military unit. Britain sent a 60-person search team with four dogs, medical staff, listening devices and concrete-cutting gear.
France, which has many ties to Morocco and at least four of its citizens among the dead, said Moroccan authorities are evaluating proposals on a case-by-case basis.
French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said Morocco is “the grasp of its decisions, which have to be revered.” She announced €5 million ($8.36 million) in emergency funds for Moroccan and international non-governmental groups rushing to help survivors.
French towns and cities have offered more than €2 million ($3.34 million) in aid, and popular performers are collecting donations.
Most of the dead have already been buried. The government reports 2501 injuries.
Morocco’s deadliest quake was a magnitude 5.8 temblor in 1960 that struck close to town of Agadir, killing at the least 12,000. It prompted Morocco to vary building guidelines, however many buildings, particularly rural houses, should not constructed to face up to such shaking.
Source: www.9news.com.au
