Current:Home > InvestHospitality in Moroccan communities hit by the quake amid the horror-InfoLens
Hospitality in Moroccan communities hit by the quake amid the horror
View Date:2024-12-23 16:06:50
24-year-old Habiba Ait Salem was working in Marrakech, Morocco, when the ground violently shook due to the rare and devastating 6.8 magnitude earthquake that killed more than 2,900 people.
The fear and destruction unfolding around her was intense.
But it was nothing compared to the utter cruelty and devastation wrought on Ait Salem's home, outside the city, about 30 miles to the south.
Her family's basic concrete house was situated in the small rural town of Ouirgane, surrounded by stunning scenery in Morocco's High Atlas Mountains.
Just days before, Ait Salem had brought her young son Badr books and pens. He was ready to start school.
MORE: Morocco earthquake live updates: Over 2,900 killed in rare, powerful quake
As a determined single mother, Ait Salem wanted to give her only child the best start in life.
But Friday's earthquake robbed Ait Salem of her dreams and created a nightmare.
It sent the warmth of her family home crashing into a pile of deadly rubble, killing most of her relatives.
Eight of Ait Salem's relatives died in the quake, including her most precious, she said.
MORE: Morocco earthquake live updates: Over 2,900 killed in rare, powerful quake
Her seven-year-old son Badr was killed while watching TV.
Badr died along with Ait Salem's mother, father, brother, her nephew, two of her sisters-in-law, and one of their children. Two other family members were badly injured.
When Ait Salem's father's body was recovered on Sunday afternoon, she said she was overcome with grief, and collapsed on the dusty ground.
Her son's young body was only retrieved from the rubble the following day.
"I did everything for him, but he's gone," she told me as neighbors in this tight-knit rural community hugged her, trying to ease her unimaginable pain.
As horrific as it is, the scale of Ait Salem's loss is repeated around the quake's epicenter in many remote communities in central Morocco's High Atlas Mountains.
In her town, Ouirgane, dozens of people were killed and countless buildings were destroyed or badly damaged.
But in the chaos of Friday, many people were lucky and managed to escape from their homes as debris caved in.
Mustapha Id Salah said he grabbed his wife and three young children and rushed outside.
Like tens of thousands of other people in these mountains, Id Salah and his family are now sleeping in tents and relying on humanitarian aid.
He said they have "little" food and water and need more help, particularly from the Moroccan authorities, but also from abroad.
"Our government should help us now," Id Salahold told me, underlining that they need to be able to rebuild their lives.
"We don't need anything after – (but) we need help right now," he said.
MORE: Hurricane Lee's latest forecast: Northeast to see dangerous rip currents, huge waves
Recounting the horror inflicted on his town, Id Salah is fearful about the future, predicting his family could be living in their tented community for at least a month.
"It's very, very hard (to be) in this position (and) to take care of my little children and my wider family," he said.
Regular Moroccans who just want to help their fellow citizens in places like Ouirgane have been turning up in the village.
Some of them traveled from far-flung corners of Morocco with basic supplies loaded in the trunk of their cars.
Id Salah is grateful for that, but fearful that rain, forecast for the coming days will present him and his family with an additional challenge.
However, this broad-shouldered Moroccan who speaks near-perfect English in a deep voice said he isn't looking for pity.
His beaming smile and booming laughter made a real impression on me and his strength and love for his family was easy to see.
As we left the family's makeshift outdoor eating space which Mustapha now shares with several other families, he invited me to return one day to the town for a vacation in the breathtaking mountains.
Struck by the hospitality and countless warm comments from Moroccans this week, as they face such adversity, and as someone who loves the outdoors, I promised Id Salah, I would.
veryGood! (56)
Related
- Elton John Details Strict Diet in His 70s
- B-1 bomber crashes while trying to land at its base in South Dakota, Air Force says
- Here's how to smoke ribs or brisket in your kitchen: GE Profile's Smart Indoor Smoker
- Top 1-and-done NBA prospects have made a big impact in the AP Top 25 college basketball poll
- See Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani's Winning NFL Outing With Kids Zuma and Apollo
- Stars converge in Palm Springs to celebrate year’s best films and Emma Stone’s career
- Maine man injured in crash is shocked by downed power line
- Why Eva Longoria Won't Cast Her 5-Year-Old Son Santiago In a Movie
- Who will be in the top 12? Our College Football Playoff ranking projection
- Vatican concludes former Minnesota archbishop acted imprudently but committed no crimes
Ranking
- My Chemical Romance will perform 'The Black Parade' in full during 2025 tour: See dates
- McDonald's CEO says Israel-Hamas war is having a meaningful impact on its business
- Golden Gate Bridge has safety nets to prevent jumping deaths after 87 years
- Joseph Lelyveld, former executive editor of The New York Times, dies at 86
- Arkansas governor unveils $102 million plan to update state employee pay plan
- Joseph Lelyveld, former executive editor of The New York Times, dies at 86
- Researchers team up with mental health influencers to reach young people online
- Time running out for landmark old boat that became a California social media star
Recommendation
-
Stressing over Election Day? Try these apps and tools to calm your nerves
-
3 years after Jan. 6 Capitol riot, Trump trial takes center stage, and investigators still search for offenders
-
House Republicans ready contempt of Congress charges against Hunter Biden for defying a subpoena
-
Mario Zagallo, the World Cup winning player and coach for Brazil, dies at age 92
-
Some women are stockpiling Plan B and abortion pills. Here's what experts have to say.
-
Vatican concludes former Minnesota archbishop acted imprudently but committed no crimes
-
RIP Jim Gaffigan, by Jim Gaffigan
-
'A profound desecration': Navajo Nation asks NASA to delay moon mission with human remains