Messages of condolences and help poured from all over the world following a magnitude 6.8 earthquake that killed a minimum of 1,000 individuals in Morocco late Friday.
The robust earthquake struck central Morocco simply after 11.00 p.m. native time (2211GMT) on Friday, killing a minimum of 1,037 individuals and injuring 1,204, in accordance with the nation’s Interior Ministry.
The epicenter was 71 kilometers (44 miles) southwest of Marrakesh, at a depth of 18.5 km, the USGS mentioned.
Videos of a number of buildings being broken or collapsed surfaced, with components of the well-known pink partitions in Marrakesh additionally mentioned to be affected.
Türkiye, which skilled twin quakes again in February, which killed a minimum of 50,000 individuals, expressed solidarity with Morocco, providing to ship search and rescue help and reduction help.
“I convey my best wishes to all Moroccan people affected by the earthquake disaster in friendly and brotherly Morocco,” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan mentioned Saturday, wishing Allah’s mercy on those that misplaced their lives and speedy restoration to the injured.
“We stand by our Moroccan brothers with all our means in this hard day,” Erdoğan tweeted.
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his condolences, saying: “We are all devastated after the terrible earthquake in Morocco. France stands ready to help with first aid.”
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz described the tremors as “bad news,” tweeting that in these “difficult hours, our thoughts are with the victims of the devastating earthquake. Our sympathy goes to all those affected by this natural disaster.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez additionally voiced solidarity with the Moroccan individuals, saying, “Spain is with the victims of this tragedy and their families.”
Another nation that vowed “full support in this emergency” was Italy, with Prime Minister Georgia Meloni expressing “sorrow” over the devastating results of the quake.
“My thoughts are with everyone affected by the terrible earthquake in Morocco last night,” U.Ok. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak mentioned, underlining that his nation “stands ready to support our Moroccan friends.”
Noting that the U.Ok. continues to help British nationals within the area following the earthquake, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly tweeted: “We stand ready to help our Moroccan friends in whatever way we can.”
“My thoughts are with the families of the victims, the injured to whom I wish a speedy recovery, and the first responders who are doing an admirable job,” mentioned Ursula Von der Leyen, president of the European Commission on X account, previously often known as Twitter.
Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, in the meantime, expressed the EU’s readiness to help Morocco “during these difficult times.” “My thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy and the rescuers involved in the search operation,” he mentioned.
European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic mentioned the EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre is “closely monitoring” the scenario. “We stand ready to provide any assistance necessary if requested,” Lenarcic mentioned.
President of European Parliament Roberta Metsola and EU international coverage chief Josep Borrell additionally shared messages of help.
“We stand ready to support the immediate health needs,” World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus mentioned on X.
WHO’s regional workplace for Eastern Mediterranean mentioned that the earthquake affected greater than 300,000 individuals in Marrakesh and surrounding areas.
Jagan Chapagain, the secretary normal of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), mentioned groups from the Moroccan Red Crescent responded instantly after the earthquake, including: “IFRC is ready to support.”
Calling the quake “terrible news,” Netherlands’ Prime Minister Mark Rutte mentioned his ideas had been with the numerous victims of this catastrophe and with the native emergency companies.
Belgium’s Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and Switzerland’s President Alain Berset additionally prolonged their condolences to the Moroccan authorities and the individuals and voiced solidarity of their messages on social media.
Slovakia’s President Zuzana Caputova mentioned his nation is “ready to help and assist with the recovery.”
Meanwhile, Austria mentioned it’s at present making all preparations to offer help as quickly as a corresponding request arises.
“Austria will assist Morocco with its disaster relief unit at any time where help is needed in the affected areas,” Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer mentioned on X. “We stand by the people of Morocco in this difficult situation.”
Condolences from Balkans
Montenegro’s President Jakov Milatovic prolonged his condolences to the Moroccan authorities and folks and mentioned: “Montenegro stands with Morocco during this tragic moment.”
Slovenia’s Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon mentioned on X: “My thoughts are with the people of Morocco during this difficult time. Sincere condolences to the families of the victims.”
Andrej Plenkovic, the Croatian prime minister, mentioned on X that his nation sympathized with the Moroccan individuals and added: “Croatia is ready to send aid.”
Meanwhile, Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani mentioned on X: “The people of Kosovo stand in solidarity with the people of Morocco at this tragic time.”
He wished power, restoration and therapeutic to all these affected by the devastating earthquake.
Qatar
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani directed sending pressing help and rescue crew to earthquake-stricken Morocco, in accordance with an official assertion.
Al Thani “directed the dispatch of rescue teams and urgent medical aid to the sisterly Kingdom of Morocco to support relief efforts due to the earthquake that struck several Moroccan cities and regions,” the Qatari Amiri Diwan mentioned in an announcement.
Tunisia
Tunisia will ship a civil protection group of 56 individuals and a subject hospital to Morocco within the wake of Friday’s earthquake that left over 1,000 individuals useless.
Faker Bouzghaya, the spokesman of the Tunisian Interior Ministry, mentioned {that a} group of 56 individuals, together with six docs in addition to 4 rescue canine, will likely be dispatched to Morocco, in accordance with the Tunis Afrique Presse news company.
Bouzghaya famous that Tunisia may also ship a subject hospital and a rescue group.
Algeria
Algeria will enable plane carrying humanitarian help to quake-hit Morocco to cross by its airspace, the president’s workplace introduced Saturday, suspending a two-year ban on flights to its regional rival.
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck a mountainous space southwest of the Moroccan vacationer hotspot of Marrakesh late Friday, killing greater than 1,000 individuals, injuring a minimum of 1,200 others and inflicting widespread harm.
Algerian authorities “have decided to open the airspace to flights transporting humanitarian aid and injured” from the quake, the president’s workplace mentioned in an announcement.
Algeria closed its airspace to all Moroccan plane in September 2021 after chopping diplomatic ties with its longtime foe.
Despite the rivalry between the North African neighbors, Algerian authorities had been “fully prepared to provide humanitarian aid and mobilize all material and human resources in solidarity with the brotherly Moroccan people upon request from the Kingdom of Morocco,” the assertion mentioned.
In an earlier assertion, the Algerian international ministry supplied the nation’s “sincere condolences to the brotherly Moroccan people for the victims of the earthquake.”
United Nations
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres launched a message of condolence for many who misplaced their lives within the earthquake.
“The U.N. is ready to support the Moroccan government,” an announcement by the U.N. cited Guterres.
U.N. Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator Martin Griffiths additionally expressed his “deep sadness,” saying: “We are ready to support.”
China
Chinese President Xi Jinping conveyed his condolences to King Mohammed VI within the wake of the earthquake.
On behalf of the Chinese authorities and folks, Xi expressed condolences to the households of those that misplaced their family members and wished a speedy restoration to the injured.
India
In a message delivered through the G-20 summit within the capital, New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi prolonged his heartfelt condolences, saying India is able to help Morocco in its time of want.
“We hope for the swift recovery of all those who have been injured. The global community stands in solidarity with Morocco during these challenging circumstances, and we are prepared to offer any possible assistance,” mentioned Modi.
South Korea
South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin prolonged his condolences to the individuals of Morocco affected by the devastating earthquake.
“We stand in solidarity with you and hope for a swift recovery from the damage,” Park mentioned on his social media account.
Pakistan
Pakistan additionally expressed sympathy with Morocco following the lethal quake.
“The people and government of Pakistan stand in solidarity with Morocco and express their heartfelt condolences for the tragic loss of lives in the earthquake,” Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry mentioned.
Morocco declared three days of nationwide mourning after the lethal earthquake, an announcement from the royal palace mentioned.
“Three days of national mourning have been decided, with flags to fly at half-mast on all public buildings,” mentioned an announcement printed by the official MAP news company after King Mohammed VI chaired a gathering to debate the catastrophe.
The assembly was held after Friday evening’s earthquake, the deadliest to hit the North African nation in a long time. It hit southwest of vacationer hotspot Marrakesh, killing a minimum of 1,037 individuals and injuring one other 1,204, lots of them critically.
After being briefed by officers, the king ordered the speedy institution of a “commission responsible for the deployment of an emergency rehabilitation and aid program on rebuilding destroyed housing in disaster areas” and “the care of distressed people, particularly orphans and the vulnerable.”
He additionally ordered that “accommodation, food and all other basic needs” be made obtainable to those that wanted it and established a particular account on the central financial institution for help donations.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
