Morocco earthquake 2023

More than 3,000 people were killed, and thousands more injured, when a powerful earthquake struck Morocco on 8th September 2023.

With a magnitude of 6.8, the earthquake’s epicentre was in the High Atlas mountains, around 72km south-west of Marrakech. It destroyed buildings, infrastructure and roads, making rescue efforts very challenging. Many thousands of people lost their homes and loved ones.

Women and girls were especially vulnerable since the earthquake struck, living in exposed spaces without either security or protection.

ActionAid worked with our partner organisations in Morocco to distribute essential supplies in some of the hardest-to-reach mountain villages, including food, water, clothes and toiletry kits for families.

Morocco earthquake: ActionAid's response

ActionAid has been working in collaboration with partner organisations in Morocco for more than 20 years.

We partnered with Enterprise Social Maroc, Maroc Sans Frontières and the women’s association of Tamghart Noudrar to distribute supplies in one of the worst-hit areas in the Atlas Mountains.

Distributing supplies

We distributed dignity kits and safety information leaflets to 1,000 women in communities in Tahanout, Asni and the Imlil Valley.

Each dignity kit contained a toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, sanitary towels, gel, soap, wipes and underwear.

Safety information leaflets

The safety leaflets contained information in Arabic and Berber on protection from sexual exploitation and abuse. We know from our work in emergencies that women and girls are often at risk of attempted trafficking and offers of early marriage after disasters and in crisis situations.

Psychosocial support

The Italian NGO Soleterre worked alongside ActionAid to offer psychosocial support for families who were traumatised from the earthquake and its aftermath.

Pressing needs in Morocco after the earthquake

Zeinab, 32, travelled from Casablanca to help her family after the earthquake. Living in a refugee camp in a small town at the foot of the Atlas Mountains, she told us what the most pressing needs are for displaced people.

"These tents are good just for a couple of months. We need something sturdier, like a caravan. And winter clothes because it's going to get cold soon. Where are these people going to sleep when winter comes? When the rains come?

"Children are not going to school and that's not a good thing. They must go back to school, so they don't lose the year.

Everyone is in shock, but children and the elderly are more affected. My grandmother who survived had to be admitted to hospital because she is suffering of hypertension."

Zeinab travelled from Casablanca to help her family in Morocco.

ActionAid

How your donation makes a difference

Your gift to the Morocco Earthquake Appeal can help people in urgent need.

About ActionAid

ActionAid is an international charity that works with women and girls living in poverty.

Our dedicated local staff are changing the world with women and girls. We are ending violence and fighting poverty so that all women, everywhere, can create the future they want.

We operate in rural and urban communities across Asia, Africa and Latin America.

We're committed to ending the cycle of violence in communities around the world, enabling women's economic empowerment, and supporting women's and girls' rights during humanitarian crises.