Over 33,000 families rebuild homes in Al Haouz, but many still in tents 17 months after quake

More than a year and a half after the 6.8-magnitude earthquake devastated the Al Haouz region, many survivors are still living in temporary plastic tents, struggling with limited access to basic living conditions, as reported by the National Coordination of Earthquake Victims in Al Haouz.

The General Director of the High Atlas Development Agency reported that 33,636 families have completed the construction or repair of their homes, which were damaged either partially or completely. Also, 14,463 homes have reached over 50% completion. The project started with 52,669 homes in total.

During the interministerial committee meeting, held on March 19 and chaired by the head of the goverment, the discussion also covered homes in remote, rugged areas, with solutions provided for 4,633 homes in 12 villages. Of these, 1,378 families have been relocated to areas with available land for housing.

Families whose homes were fully or partially destroyed have been receiving urgent financial aid of MAD2,500 per month, extended for an additional five months, bringing the total amount of aid to MAD2.3 billion.

In the education sector, work has been completed on 165 schools, while 763 more schools are expected to be ready for the upcoming school year.

In health, 42 health centers have been rehabilitated, and 17 others will be completed soon, with services starting shortly. The committee also reviewed progress on 92 projects that will soon be ready to serve the public.

The first phase of the agriculture plan, with a budget of MAD611 million, has been completed, focusing on rehabilitating agricultural infrastructure and supporting livestock recovery by free distribution of livestock and barley to farmers.

There has also been progress on the rehabilitation of four sections of National Road No. 7, which spans 64 kilometers. Efforts to repair water networks and fix damage to 43 hydrological stations are also underway.

In trade, 1,408 business owners whose shops were damaged by the earthquake received support totaling MAD127 million.

In tourism, 386 requests for financial aid from affected hotels have been processed. 227 establishments received the first round of support, worth over MAD60 million, and 82 received the second round, totaling MAD26 million.

On March, 13, The Al Haouz authorities reported that 60% of homes have been rebuilt, and the number of tents has dropped to 3,211, down from 35,500. It said that this progress comes less than a year after reconstruction work began, with expectations to reach 80% in the next two months.

The reconstruction process didn’t start right after September 8, 2023, as the committee first focused on rescue efforts, which were challenging due to the region’s tough terrain. They also conducted a census of affected residents and cleared debris from over 23,500 collapsed homes, requiring heavy machinery, especially in hard-to-reach areas.

But over 10% of families still waiting for reconstruction haven’t started building due to inheritance issues or not starting despite receiving the first government payment.

Local authorities have warned them to begin work, and legal actions will follow if they don’t. For homes in restricted areas or needing special measures, alternative solutions have been found, and work has already begun.

Since the earthquake 17 months ago, residents have been receiving monthly emergency financial aid of MAD2,500 for rent and housing, along with MAD80,000 or MAD140,000 for rebuilding. They’ve also received food aid to meet immediate needs.

In October 2024, the inter-ministerial committee overseeing the reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts announced a five-month extension to the emergency aid program, which was initially set for 12 months, following directives from King Mohammed VI.

But in January 2025, those affected emphasized the need for another extension to ensure that all victims have enough time to fully rebuild their lives.