“The needs are enormous: food, clothes, tents and even hygiene kits and blankets for the cold of the night. There are entire villages destroyed”, said Father Oscar Arturo Padilla, director of Caritas Rabat, who yesterday visited Amizmiz, a small town in Morocco about 50 kilometres from Marrakech, and some small towns in the nearby mountains. Shortly after the earthquake that struck the central part of Morocco on the night of Friday, 8 September, the priest travelled from Rabat to Marrakech, where a meeting of some parish Caritas took place yesterday as well as a celebration in the Church of the Holy Martyrs of Marrakech, presided over by Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero, Archbishop of Rabat and president of Caritas Morocco. Yesterday, in the early afternoon, a small Caritas delegation led by Father Padilla visited Amizmiz and some small towns in the mountains that were still accessible. “The visit was touching. These people have lost everything and I fear it will take months for them to restore their lives”.

After visiting Amizmiz, the delegation continued towards the mountains and reached a small village of about 60 people on the mountainside. The earthquake had caused rocks to fall, which blocked the main road, but the inhabitants created an alternative access route. “As soon as they saw us, they hugged us. They were feeling completely isolated. The helplessness, tiredness and worry were clear in their eyes. All their houses were destroyed by the earthquake. Some found some tents to spend the night in, but the fragility of such tents that were supposed to shelter them was evident”.

The delegation is looking for motorcycles to reach other areas and villages that cannot be accessed by car. In the coming hours, aid in the form of generators, clothes, first aid kits, food, medicines and tents will be sent.
Caritas Internationalis and the General Secretariat of Caritas MONA (Middle East and North Africa) are in constant contact with the representatives of Caritas Morocco, and the Caritas network is mobilising to provide support, including economic support, to the humanitarian response.
“We are deeply close to the people who suffered this devastating earthquake. Since the very first moments after the earthquake, we have been in close contact with our colleagues at Caritas Morocco, and we are moving fast to provide what people need. Thank you to all those who support our work. We couldn’t do this without you”, said Alistair Dutton, Secretary General of Caritas Internationalis. To make a donation, please visit: www.caritas.org.