Over 2,000 dead in Morocco earthquake, aid pours in from across the world
As rescuers dug through the rubble for survivors in the remote mountain villages of Morocco, help poured in from across the globe, including from Algeria - the neighbouring country which had cut ties after accusing Morocco of "hostile acts".
A powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck central Morocco -- 72 kilometres southwest of Marrakesh -- on Friday, killing over 2,000 people and injuring 2,059. It was the country's deadliest earthquake in more than six decades.
As rescuers dug through the rubble for survivors in the remote mountain villages, help poured in from all sides, including from Algeria - the neighbouring country which cut ties with Morocco two years ago.
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Algeria offered humanitarian aid to neighboring Morocco, despite its feud which has been going on for decades. Morocco's neighbour offered to open its airspace to allow humanitarian aid or medical evacuation flights to travel to and from the country which was struck by the powerful quake.
The border between Algeria and Morocco has been closed since 1994 and the airspace was closed from 2021. Algeria accused Morocco of "hostile acts".
The office of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune released a statement on Saturday that Algeria is ready to offer humanitarian aid ‘’in solidarity with the brotherly Moroccan people, in case the authorities of the Moroccan kingdom express a wish for this.’’
US President Joe Biden said American officials were in contact with Morocco to ensure American citizens in the country are safe. He added that the US was ready to "provide any necessary assistance for the Moroccan people".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his condolences over the loss of lives and said, "India is ready to offer all possible assistance to Morocco in this difficult time."
Other countries which offered assistance to Morocco include Turkey, Qatar, France, Germany, Israel, Qatar, Dubai and Jordan. In France, a mobile operator, Orange, will be offering a week of free calls to Morocco following the massive earthquake.
Thousands of people were killed in a massive earthquake in Turkey earlier this year.
Doctors Without Borders said it was prepared to offer assistance to help in providing medical aid for the survivors. An official said people who live in the affected region are “key to the initial response” when searching for survivors.
"Restoring health services and providing essential supplies also can be a priority at this stage. Our response will depend on the needs that are assessed on site," he added.
Authorities declared three days of national mourning following the massive earthquake. However, the Red Cross warned that it could take years to repair the damage.
Marrakesh is due to host the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank from October 9. When asked about the meetings, an IMF spokesperson told Reuters: "“Our sole focus at this time is on the people of Morocco and the authorities who are dealing with this tragedy."