Morocco earthquake: MSF teams mobilise to evaluate needs and support

The powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck on Friday night at 11 pm local time. MSF is currently not present in Morocco, but we are establishing contacts with local authorities to immediately send our teams to Morocco to assess local needs and if our support is needed.

As with all earthquakes, the search for people buried under the rubble is the priority, and this phase is often handled by local solidarity. Communication and supply routes also need to be quickly re-established, as these are the prerequisites for the deployment of relief supplies from outside the affected areas. In this type of context, we need to care for the wounded and perform medical acts quickly like surgery or dialysis, which can be a challenge when local health capacities are severely affected by a disaster. Restoring health services and distributing essential goods can also be priorities. Our intervention will therefore depend on the results of these initial on-site assessments.

MSF is extremely saddened by the tragic news of the earthquake that hit Morocco and the high number of victims already reported.

MSF in Morocco

MSF began working in Morocco in 1997 to provide care to excluded communities in Rabat, Casablanca and Tangier.

Our programmes were focused on increasing access to maternal and sexual healthcare. In the early 2000s, we began providing support to migrants arriving in Morocco, by visiting hostels where people stayed and providing outpatient consultations and referrals through mobile clinics.

In 2010, MSF provided care to migrants injured during mass raids and expulsions by the Moroccan police force. In 2013 we handed our projects over to local health and human rights organisations.





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