Morocco and Libya: two natural disasters plunge Maghreb into mourning

On the night of 8 to 9 September, western Morocco was devastated in a matter of minutes by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake, the epicentre of which was near the city of Marrakech and its 1.3 million inhabitants. The death toll has already reached 2,900. The death toll could rise still further as the search continues. Rescue workers and aid organisations are sometimes having difficulty reaching the steep slopes of this mountainous region. Many countries – including France – have offered their help to Morocco, which has so far limited itself to accepting the support of four countries (Spain, the United Kingdom, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates), diplomatic relations between Paris and Rabat not being the best.

Barely two days later, the waters of storm Daniel flooded eastern Libya and caused widespread damage, particularly in Derna where dams broke. Thousands of dead have been found, and 10,000 people are still missing.

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