A year after a devastating earthquake struck Morocco’s High Atlas mountains, only about 1,000 homes out of the 55,000 planned for reconstruction have been rebuilt, according to government data. Thousands of survivors continue to endure harsh conditions, living in tents that offer little protection against the extreme heat of summer and the freezing cold of winter.
The 6.8 magnitude earthquake, which struck on Sept. 8, 2023, was Morocco’s deadliest since 1960. It claimed over 2,900 lives and caused widespread destruction to critical infrastructure. Entire hamlets, built with traditional materials like mud brick, stone, and rough wood—characteristic of the Amazigh-speaking communities in the Atlas mountains—were leveled.
Frustrated by the slow pace of reconstruction, residents of Talat N Yacoub, the quake’s epicenter, staged protests last week. They demanded greater transparency in the distribution of aid and called for increased investment in the region’s infrastructure and social services.
The Moroccan government reports that 97% of affected households are currently receiving incremental reconstruction aid. Additionally, 63,800 families affected by the quake are receiving a monthly stipend of 2,500 dirhams ($255) from the state.
In response to the disaster, Morocco has outlined a comprehensive plan to spend 120 billion dirhams on reconstruction and infrastructure upgrades over the next five years.
A study by the Policy Center for the New South estimated that the economic losses from the quake amounted to 3 billion dirhams, or 0.24% of Morocco’s GDP in 2023.