Al Haouz earthquake destroyed 20,000 homes, says Lekjaa

The earthquake that shook Morocco during the night of September 8 had a devastating impact on a vast territory, affecting 163 communes, around two-thirds of all municipalities located in the areas affected by the Al Haouz earthquake.

In addition, some 2,930 douars were affected, representing around a third of all affected douars. The total number of residents affected by this disaster amounts to 2.8 million people, equivalent to around a third of the population affected by the devastating consequences of this earthquake.

These alarming figures were revealed at a joint meeting of the Finance Committees of both Houses of Parliament, held this Friday.

At this meeting, Fouzi Lekjaa, Minister Delegate in charge of the Budget, and in the presence of the Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of Relations with Parliament and Government Spokesman, Mustapha Baitas, presented an overview of the government measures and actions put in place to deal with the devastating consequences of the earthquake that recently hit our country.

According to data provided by Lekjaa before the nation’s representatives, the total number of homes collapsed as a result of the earthquake exceeds 59,000 buildings, of which around 20,000 were completely destroyed, leaving the remaining third of affected areas with partial collapses.

The government official stressed that since the night of Friday September 8, all the authorities, under the leadership of the King, have mobilized in an exceptional way to respond to this unprecedented tragedy.

They have examined various solutions to deal with the problems that have multiplied. This rapid response testifies to the strength of the Moroccan nation and the remarkable ability of its citizens to find appropriate solutions to crises.

The Budget Minister also highlighted the fact that less than 24 hours after the tragedy, His Majesty King Mohammed VI chaired the first working meeting to approve emergency measures to manage the consequences of the earthquake.

All the authorities responded diligently to the royal directives on the ground. In the same spirit, he praised the generous response of Moroccans, whether living abroad or at home, who contributed to the special fund set up to manage the consequences of the earthquake.