Morocco earthquake leaves thousands homeless, searching for answers

Thousands of Moroccans are homeless after the country was hit by its strongest earthquake in over a century, as the government estimates it could take five to six years to rebuild.

Blankets hang from the fences surrounding a city lot now home to many makeshift tents in the Marrakech following the 6.8 magnitude earthquake that devastated Morocco on Friday.

Among the earthquake survivors is Dounia Koukaz, who is trying to care for her newborn daughter.

“Of course, I need to go back home as soon as possible because she got sick with the wind and cold that hit her here in the street,” Koukaz told Global News through an interpreter.

Many homes in Marrakech’s historic quarter of Medina are over 200 years old and made of clay and rock. Government inspectors have been telling residents that they have to leave due to the homes no longer being safe following the earthquake.

However, residents are reluctant to leave as many don’t have anywhere else to go but the streets.

The earthquake’s epicentre was in the Atlas Mountains, about 72 kilometres south of Marrakech, with many mountain villages left devastated including Marigha.

Here, residents told Global News they have been on their own to try and rescue survivors and pull the dead from the rubble. They say they don’t know if the government will help them rebuild or check on them.

Members of the Moroccan Parliament convened Monday to create a government fund for earthquake response at the request of King Mohammed VI.