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Rabat – Morocco’s Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Toufiq, announced a comprehensive plan to repair over 2,290 mosques damaged by the devastating September 8, earthquake that hit central Morocco.
According to reports on Saturday, Toufiq said that the total cost of the repairs is estimated at 1.2 billion dirhams ( $120 million), with the project expected to span three years.
Responding to a query from MPs regarding delays in restoration efforts, Toufiq detailed the geographical distribution of the affected mosques. The mosques are located across six provinces: Al Haouz, Chichaoua, Taroudant, Ouarzazate, Azilal, and Marrakech.
To efficiently manage the restoration process, the ministry has established a special unit at the central level dedicated to overseeing and implementing the rehabilitation program for religious and endowment buildings.
The initial phase includes technical assessments for 129 mosques in the Marrakech prefecture, with the aim of determining the specific nature of the required repairs.
The assessment phase is budgeted at MAD 979,000 ( $97,900). In addition, 32 mosques have already undergone rehabilitation work with a price tag of over MAD 28,363,001 $2.84 million).
The minister also emphasized the efforts to maintain the continuity of religious practices during the restoration period.
He explained that the ministry has allocated 31 alternative locations, in coordination with different stakeholders, to ensure that communities can continue their religious activities without interruption.
The devastating earthquake resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths and flattened thousands of villages, leaving whole communities without shelter.
In the wake of the tragedy, Morocco has unveiled a series of measures to help the affected regions including a comprehensive rehabilitation plan spanning five years under a budget of $11 billion.
Read Also: Morocco Allocates MAD 32.7 Million for Al Haouz Earthquake Socio-Psychological Aid
