Moroccans in Turkey recount horrifying Monday as earthquake devastation continues

Heads, eyes and hearts around the world turned to Turkey and Syria early this morning, after seven regions experienced a devastating earthquake that killed hundreds of victims and wounded thousands.

For the families and loved ones of the nearly 22,000 Moroccans residing in Turkey, a statement from the Kingdom’s Embassy in the country brought solace to worried hundreds, confirming that no Moroccans were among the fatalities.

Although the death toll unfortunately keeps rising, Moroccans in the country have evaded the worst, but told Hespress EN their account of a life-changing Monday morning.

“I don’t want to stay here anymore”

“We are very scared,” says Bassma Boukrati, a Moroccan resident of Hatay, the southernmost province of Turkey and among the areas devastated by today’s natural disaster.

Speaking to Hespress EN, Boukrati said her apartment building was safe, but only a couple blocks away, a number of buildings were destroyed.

“I know a few Moroccans here, there are mostly students but they are many,’ she says, still shaken with the unexpected event.

“We have yet to receive information from the Moroccan embassy on what to do, but we’re waiting for the authorities to tell us what is going on and if we can leave.”

As many stand temporarily homeless in Hatay streets in the midst of rubble and rescue teams, Boukrati has made up her mind: “I honestly don’t want to be here anymore, they told us to wait outside, we don’t know what we’ll do.“

Situated almost entirely outside Anatolia along the eastern coast of the Levantine Sea, the Hatay province was also affected by the 7.7 magnitude quake, but reportedly houses only a small number of Moroccans.

Aabir, a Moroccan student who spoke to Hespress EN says that local authorities in the city asked residents to remain outside, “as relapses are expected.”

“I stayed in the cold dark morning waiting for police instructions, we are at a loss, may god help us.”

Moroccan expat and Turkey resident Salim, who also lives in Hatay told Hespress EN that the Moroccans he knows of in the area are safe.

“We’re safe thanks to god, buildings fell down, people died in front of our eyes, now we’re in the street waiting.”

Salim explained however that despite the considerable damage, “the city was not affected as other areas such as Kahramanmaraş.”

The embassy in action for the diaspora

The Moroccan embassy in Ankara declared in a statement that diplomatic services have prepared personal phone numbers for embassy employees to communicate with Moroccan families and to receive urgent calls.

The Moroccan Embassy additionally gave instructions to form an emergency crisis cell to help manage the situation.

Ayoub Salem, Head of the Morocco Foundation in Turkey confirmed to Hespress AR that areas hit by the earthquake do have a large Moroccan presence.

Gaziantep, Hatay and Adana all account for important Moroccan student populations.

International support

The devastating earthquake, second in Turkey’s history since 1999, resulted in a death toll amounting to 912 casualties and at least 5,385 wounded, according to data published by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

As the count and rescue efforts continue, Erdogan said that a total of 2,818 buildings collapsed, which raises fears of a high death toll, at a time when hundreds of people were killed in neighboring Syria as a result of the same natural disaster.

In Syria, the death toll reached 560 in the north, according to the Ministry of Health and Emergencies, a number that is expected to rise as more ruined buildings are being identified.

Syrian White Helmets, rescuers engaged in rebel areas in Syria said on Twitter that their teams are on high alert to rescue the survivors.

Azerbaijan has announced the immediate dispatch of 370 rescuers, according to the official Turkish Anadolu Agency.

The European Union also sent rescue teams to Turkey, announced the European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic.

“Following the earthquake this morning in Turkey, we have activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The EU Emergency Response Coordination Center coordinates the deployment of European rescue teams. Teams from the Netherlands and Romania are already on their way,” the EU official tweeted.