Morocco Relief
On September 8, 2023, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck Morocco, just south of Marrakesh in the High Atlas Mountains. This devastating event claimed over 3,000 lives. Many remote Berber villages in the mountains were cut off, delaying the spread of news. Photos and videos revealed widespread destruction—entire villages reduced to rubble, homes and buildings turned into piles of debris, and mountain roads blocked by massive boulders. The affected communities are still in the process of rebuilding, a task expected to take up to five years.
On September 6, 2024, heavy rains began to fall across southern Morocco, continuing until the region experienced a year’s worth of rain in just two days. From Tata province, southwest of Marrakesh, to the edge of the Sahara Desert in Ouarzazate and Errachidia, the floods claimed 20 lives, destroyed homes, washed out roads, disrupted power, and damaged communication and water infrastructure. Some areas affected by the flooding had already been hit by last year’s earthquake.
SCM is collaborating with a local NGO in Morocco to provide aid directly to villages impacted by both the recent floods and last year’s earthquake. They urgently need our help. Last year, we raised funds to support the distribution of food, clothing, and other essentials. In April, a group traveling with Caravan-Serai Tours brought solar lanterns and toys to a village affected by the earthquake. Now, we must extend our support once more. Thankfully, no lives were lost in the flooding, but roads damaged and repaired after the earthquake were again washed out. Since April, the only relief the village has seen has been the bulldozers clearing the roads after the flood.
Please join us in supporting the people of Morocco, who have been struck by natural disasters yet again. Your donations will go toward providing food and winter supplies to villages affected by both the earthquake and the floods.
