One year after a devastating earthquake struck Morocco's Atlas Mountains, villagers remain in makeshift tents, with the government yet to fulfil its promise to rehouse survivors. The 6.8-magnitude quake, which hit on 8 September 2023, killed nearly 3,000 people and left over two million homeless.
In Tiniskt, a village perched in the mountains about 70 kilometres southwest of Marrakesh, 45 people lost their lives.
Of the roughly 500 remaining villagers, many are still in temporary shelters, struggling to cope with the trauma.
Khadija Id Yassine, a mother of three who lost her home in the quake, told news agency AFP she's tried to forget, but it "remains anchored" in her mind.
"Life has been hard in the tent, between the freezing cold of winter and the stifling heat of summer."
While most debris has been cleared, the scars of destruction remain. Only the mosque and three concrete houses are still standing.
For the past year, Kebira Ait Bellaid has been also living in a tent in an Atlas mountain village, haunted by the memory of losing her daughter and three grandchildren.
"I can still hear my nine-year-old grandson's screams under the rubble," the 52-year-old told reporters.
"This earthquake has changed me forever."
'Turn this painful page'
Morocco's government provided most families in Tiniskt with an initial payout of 20,000 Moroccan dirhams – around €1,800 – but the promised homes have yet to be rebuilt.
Al Haouz province, which includes Tiniskt, was the hardest hit. Of the 24,000 houses scheduled for reconstruction, only 1,000 have been completed.
Amine Bouih of Al-Omrane, the public construction agency, said accessing damaged areas in the mountainous terrain has slowed progress.
Brahim Ait Ouarah, an ambulance driver from the nearby village of Ouirgane, paid out of pocket to rebuild his home after six months in a tent.
"Those months were very difficult," said Ouarah, who lost his wife and son in the quake.
"I was eager to turn this painful page, even when nothing can compensate for the lost lives".
'Big mistake'
Frustration is also mounting over how new homes are being built. Concrete is being used widely instead of traditional materials like clay and stone.
Architect Khalil Morad El Gilali called this "a big mistake."
"It is expensive, not suitable for this environment and not reliable," he says.
Gilali has been involved in the reconstruction of 70 houses using the traditional clay and stone of the villages, turning down projects that use concrete.
He argues that the authorities, in their rush to rebuild, have shown "a lack of vision".
But Al Omrane's Bouih said traditional architecture takes more time – a luxury in short supply when people desperately need shelter.
(with AFP)
