Earthquake Relief: Restoration Phase Begins in Talat N’Yaaqoub

Local authorities have begun tearing down houses damaged by the September 8 earthquake and clearing the debris in the rural commune of Talat N'Yaaqoub, in the province of Al Haouz, as part of the reconstruction efforts.

Rabat – Local authorities have begun tearing down houses damaged by the September 8 earthquake and clearing the debris in the rural commune of Talat N’Yaaqoub, in the province of Al Haouz, as part of the reconstruction efforts.

Under the supervision of local authorities, the demolition of damaged houses is proceeding in the Talat N’Yaaqoub commune, as well as in the douars of Amegdoul and Doubouche, according to converging reports.

Meanwhile, local authorities are offering residents technical support in the form of architectural plans tailored to the area’s requirements, as well as assistance in obtaining rebuilding permits.

In accordance with instructions from King Mohammed VI, families with damaged homes have been able to benefit from the first installment of financial aid for rebuilding, which was set at MAD 20,000 ($2,000).

Families whose homes completely collapsed will receive direct financial assistance of MAD 140,000 ($14,000), and those with partially collapsed homes will receive MAD 80,000 ($8,000).

The disastrous earthquake had hit the Al Haouz region on September 8 with a magnitude of 6.8 on the Richter Scale, with the epicenter located 73 kilometers southwest of Marrakech.

The strongest of its kind to hit the country in over 120 years, the earthquake killed nearly 3,000 people and left over 5,000 others injured, in addition to massive destruction to dozens of villages across the Atlas mountains.