After Al Haouz Earthquake: Morocco’s Struggle as Winter Approaches
BY: Hana Saada
ALGIERS- November 12, 2023 – In Morocco, two months after the earthquake, a significant portion of residents in damaged or destroyed buildings, numbering 60,000, still find themselves living in tents. They are anxiously anticipating the bone-chilling temperatures of the approaching winter in a region known for its severe cold. In the aftermath of the earthquake that struck theAl Haouz region with a magnitude of 7 on the Richter scale, leaving over 3,000 dead and an equal number injured or displaced, the material repercussions of the disaster are looming large as winter approaches, leaving many with nothing.
On this particular day in the village of Moulay Ibrahim, the deceptive sun cast its warmth. While Marrakech, about fifty kilometers to the north, displayed a temperature of around 25 degrees Celsius, it easily felt ten degrees cooler in this town nestled among the peaks of the High Atlas. In this hamlet in Al Haouz situated at an elevation of 1233 meters above sea level, the temperatures were still bearable. However, some residents had already donned their jackets, many equipped with fur-lined hoods.
To reach the small villages on the slopes of the Tizi n’Test pass in southern Morocco, one must sometimes traverse several kilometers of tracks. In these hamlets, where almost all homes have collapsed, residents have been living for two months in state-provided tents, covering an area of 15 square meters—typically one or two tents per family of five or six.
In this context, Idriss Bouzid, head of the Ighil Targu hamlet, emphasizes, “Winter is now coming; the crucial thing is to be able to shelter and protect ourselves from the extreme cold and snow.” This is particularly important for agriculture, as it is a seasonal activity, our production is limited, and we rely on it for food. We especially need blankets because our tents are not insulated against heat or cold. The ideal situation is to have ready-made tents, but I realize that the available space is limited, and our hamlet is challenging to access.
Amidst these circumstances, the gradual drop in temperatures raises concerns for local residents. In the night, especially in the early morning, the cold intensifies in the town of Ighil. Its elder, Omar, is extremely worried. “How will we live in these tents with the freezing cold? When it snows, we can’t even go outside. How can we sleep with water under our feet and snow over our heads? What the earthquake didn’t destroy, the cold might. Here, from November to January, we have rain, cold, and snow.”
While awaiting the winter season, many of the remote hamlets have been offered a solution to relocate to other villages several kilometers away. However, at present, many are reluctant to leave their lands.
All the hamlets in the region are situated at elevations ranging from 1000 to 2000 meters above sea level. During winter, daily rainfall, snowfall, and negative temperatures become a norm. “Yes, winter is coming, but what do you want me to do?” says Azza, a cattle farmer, with resignation. “I will be in my tent; I have nothing else to do…”
The primary activities here are agriculture and livestock farming, with quantities limited to meeting the hamlet’s needs. However, the agricultural terraces built for cultivating turnips, carrots, and sweet potatoes were swept away by the earthquake, along with the livestock.
After receiving emergency aid in the first two weeks following the earthquake, residents of remote hamlets urgently await long-term assistance. “We have received support from both authorities and Moroccans alike, but the most crucial thing now is to be able to cover and protect ourselves from the cold and incoming snow. Most importantly, for agriculture, as it is a seasonal activity, producing little and relying on it to feed ourselves,” expresses Idriss Bouzid, emphasizing his concerns.
