A deadly earthquake hit Morocco and left more than 2600 people dead and around 2200 injured, making it a sudden disaster that triggered a severe concern to the whole world. Many countries are participating in relief works and attempting to save as many people as they can. The 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit the region, becoming the country’s most disastrous in 60 years. Morocco’s government accepted aid from only four nations: the UK, Qatar, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates. It has refused to accept aid from other countries, leaving the citizens in a state of helping on their own as the affected area is vast and there are a limited number of rescuers.

Morocco’s government is also under pressure to get more aid from other countries because rescuers are facing exhaustion. Rescuers are limited, and they have to work all day and night to save more people trapped under the debris and destroyed infrastructure. People are being rescued, dead or alive. Country officials are arguing to justify the country’s decision not to receive more aid and saying there would be a more chaotic situation if they received more assistance from other countries.

Heavy Machinery, Helicopters Participating In Relief Work

The deadly earthquake of 6.6 magnitude hit the High Atlas mountains in the south of Marrakesh and destroyed many rural areas and remote villages. Tafeghaghte is one of those villages that had a population of 200 people; the tremor killed half of its population, and many are still missing. Heavy machinery is in action to move the debris and clear the roads blocked by the rubble. Helicopters are also part of the rescue operations and have been delivering the essentials to the mountain areas without road access.

It’s been around four days since the earthquake struck, and it seems almost impossible to find more people alive under the debris, but the teams are in continuous efforts to find them. Albert Vasquez is the communication officer for a 30-member firefighter team from Spain; he expresses that plenty of time has passed, but there is still hope to find people alive.

A 26-year-old Said from Moulay Brahim village told the reporters that he witnessed his neighbor’s house collapse. He further explained that six people lived in that house: a man, his wife, and their four children. Father was outside then, and the house collapsed, killing the mother and four children inside. Said further added he had been unable to eat or sleep since Friday night, the conditions were catastrophic, and he didn’t know how to recover from the disaster.

US & Other States Waiting To Send Aid

Tom Godfrey, the team lead for UK rescue charity EMT, expressed a desperate need for humanitarian relief in the south-west as that area was under severe impact. He added his teams were in efforts to treat the severe injuries initially, and he said dangerous disease challenges would emerge if further aid were delayed. World Health Organization (WHO) declared the earthquake has affected more than 300,000 people, which is the deadliest since the 1960s earthquake in Morocco, which killed around 12,000 to 15,000 people. The current situation has left thousands of people with sorrow and homeless.

International pressure has been rising on Morroco’s government to accept the aid offered by several countries. Some of the major countries like America, Turkey, Taiwan, France, and Tunisia are waiting to send humanitarian assistance and relief packages to Morroco. Algeria is the Neighboring country with previous fraught relations with Rabat. It has offered a number of specialized rescue workers, beds, tents, blankets, sniffer dogs, and medical personnel.

However, the Morrocan government has rejected receiving the aid, saying it would create a more chaotic situation. Officials claim that a lack of coordination would become counterproductive. Many medical organizations are willing to offer assistance free of cost. Dr. Clare McCaughey, a GP based in Marrakesh, told the news agencies that Morroco has been performing efficiently in the disastrous situation, and the community is participating well.