Moroccan villagers mourn after earthquake destroys homes.

The ground shook with a force few had ever felt, rumbling through the remote Moroccan village in the darkness of the night.

When the earthquake ended late Friday, the town deep in the Atlas Mountains lay in ruins, possibly with dozens dead and countless homes and walls reduced to rubble.

The suffering of villagers in a village devastated by the earthquake in Morocco (Figure 1) — People gather to bury victims killed by the earthquake in the village of Ouargane, near Marrakech, Morocco, on September 9, 2023. Photo: AP

People in a poor rural community about 45 kilometers northeast of the earthquake's epicenter live in houses made of clay brick and wood, many of which are no longer standing or safe to live in. Collapsed walls reveal the interiors of damaged homes, their rubble sliding down the hillside.

Chaos and horror ensued as terrified villagers sought safety in the streets. Some used their bare hands to clear debris and began pulling out bodies. People gathered and wept outside a community health center as news of more deaths emerged.

Search teams have been peering into crevices for more casualties or people in need of rescue after the biggest earthquake to hit the North African nation in 120 years.

The country's Interior Ministry reported that the majority of the fatalities, at least 2,100 as of Sunday, were in Marrakech and five provinces near the epicenter, with at least 2,059 others injured, including 1,404 in critical condition.

Hours after the tragedy, a procession of hundreds of people carried more than a dozen blanketed bodies to the town square. Men knelt on mats and prayed for the dead in a brief funeral before carrying the deceased to the cemetery on the hillside. According to Islamic custom, burial must take place quickly after death.

Parents wept uncontrollably on the phone, telling loved ones about the loss of their children. Villagers erected a large tent in the town square, traditionally used for joyous occasions like weddings. In the coming days, this space will serve as a much more somber refuge for those left homeless.

Much of the town's economy depends on agriculture and tourism. Only time will tell how long it will be before visitors return to this centuries-old place.

Moulay Brahim is named after a Moroccan Sufi saint who practiced a form of Islam that valued peace, love, and tolerance, emphasizing inner meditation to achieve communion with God. The townspeople speak a mix of Arabic and Tachelhit, the most widely spoken indigenous language in Morocco.

Hassan Ait Belhaj, who owns several rental properties in Moulay Brahim, said the buildings were not designed for such severe earthquakes and wondered how long it would take for the area to recover.

The military deployed aircraft, helicopters, and drones. Emergency services mobilized relief efforts to the hardest-hit areas, but roads leading to the mountainous region around the epicenter were congested with vehicles and blocked by landslides, slowing rescue efforts.

Mai Vân (according to AP)

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