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Morocco earthquake: What is MSF doing?

09 September 2023 • Updated 15 September 2023
This article is more than one year old

Morocco earthquake: What is MSF doing?

Devastation in the village of Taharat, where MSF teams are assessing the impact of the powerful earthquake Caption
Devastation in the village of Taharat, where MSF teams are assessing the impact of the powerful earthquake
© John Johnson/MSF

On Friday 8 September, a powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Morocco at 11 pm local time. So far, around 2,900 people have lost their lives and 2,500 have been injured.

Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is extremely saddened by the tragic news of the earthquake and the high number of victims already reported.

What is MSF doing?

  • MSF is in contact with local authorities, assessing humanitarian needs and understanding the response that is needed.
     
  • We have four expert teams already on the ground, including emergency doctors, nurses and logisticians.
     
  • We are prioritising remote and rural communities close to the epicentre in the High Atlas Mountains, south of Marakesh. Some areas have been difficult to reach as roads have been affected by the earthquake.
     
  • Our teams have reached multiple towns and villages in the Souss Massa, Al Haouz, and Chichaoua provinces. In many places, the destruction has been dramatic.
     
  • We have also donated much-needed medical supplies to healthcare facilities in Souss Massa and Al Haouz.
     
  • People in hard-hit villages will likely require assistance, including food, while access to healthcare was already limited before the disaster.

 

Earthquake response

As with all earthquakes, the search for people buried under the rubble is the priority, and this phase is often handled by local solidarity.

Communication and supply routes also need to be quickly re-established, as these are the prerequisites for the deployment of aid supplies from outside the affected areas. 

In this type of humanitarian emergency, we need to care for the wounded and perform medical acts quickly – such as surgery or dialysis – which can be a challenge when local healthcare is severely affected by a disaster.

Restoring health services and distributing essential goods can also be priorities. Our response will therefore depend on the results of these initial on-site assessments.

What is MSF doing?

  • MSF is in contact with local authorities, assessing humanitarian needs and understanding the response that is needed.
     
  • We have four expert teams already on the ground, including emergency doctors, nurses and logisticians.
     
  • We are prioritising remote and rural communities close to the epicentre in the High Atlas Mountains, south of Marakesh. Some areas have been difficult to reach as roads have been affected by the earthquake.
     
  • Our teams have reached multiple towns and villages in the Souss Massa, Al Haouz, and Chichaoua provinces. In many places, the destruction has been dramatic.
     
  • We have also donated much-needed medical supplies to healthcare facilities in Souss Massa and Al Haouz.
     
  • People in hard-hit villages will likely require assistance, including food, while access to healthcare was already limited before the disaster.

Earthquake response

As with all earthquakes, the search for people buried under the rubble is the priority, and this phase is often handled by local solidarity.

Communication and supply routes also need to be quickly re-established, as these are the prerequisites for the deployment of aid supplies from outside the affected areas. 

In this type of humanitarian emergency, we need to care for the wounded and perform medical acts quickly – such as surgery or dialysis – which can be a challenge when local healthcare is severely affected by a disaster.

Restoring health services and distributing essential goods can also be priorities. Our response will therefore depend on the results of these initial on-site assessments.

A general view of damage in the historic city of Marrakech, following a powerful earthquake in Morocco, 9 September 2023. Caption
A general view of damage in the historic city of Marrakech, following a powerful earthquake in Morocco, 9 September 2023.
© REUTERS/Abdelhak Balhaki

How can I help MSF?

Right now, our teams are in Morocco assessing the medical needs caused by the earthquake. 

This is only possible because of donations from people like you. 

By giving to our general funds today, you will be helping ensure we can respond to emergencies around the world.  

Please donate today to support our emergency teams. 

Donate >

Learn more about how we spend your money

MSF in Morocco

MSF began working in Morocco in 1997 to provide care to excluded communities in Rabat, Casablanca and Tangier.

Our programmes were focused on increasing access to maternal and sexual healthcare. In the early 2000s, we began providing support to migrants arriving in Morocco, by visiting hostels where people stayed and providing outpatient consultations and referrals through mobile clinics.

In 2010, MSF provided care to migrants injured during mass raids and expulsions by the Moroccan police force. In 2013 we handed our projects over to local health and human rights organisations.