TRANSCRIPT
Rescue teams dispatched by Spain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom have arrived in the town of Amizmiz, as the relief efforts are also continuing to head towards the hardest-hit mountainous regions in Morocco, which still remained difficult to access.
The magnitude 6.8 earthquake, the deadliest in the country for more than six decades, struck south of the capital Marrakesh at 23:11 local time on Friday ((September 8)) at a depth of 18.5 kilometers.
The president the Africa China Cooperation Association for Development [[ACCAD]] Nasser Bouchiba says its members in both Morocco and China are doing their best to provide aid to the earthquake-hit areas in the country.
"When the earthquake occurred, strong tremors were felt in almost all cities in Morocco, including our capital, Rabat. According to geological experts, the center of this earthquake was on land and the focus was relatively shallow. Unlike previous earthquakes in Morocco, which were all under the sea, this one was very destructive. With the utmost concern and directives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces initiated emergency deployment arrangements on September 9."
Mr Bouchiba says the association members from both China and Morocco have been doing their best to deliver supplies to people in the affected areas.
"Regarding the participation of the ACCDA, we and our colleagues in Guangzhou are providing post-earthquake assistance. The area where the earthquake occurred is the Atlas Mountains. The villages there are basically above 1,000 meters above sea level, and the winter is cold and snowy. Therefore, we decided to cooperate with local professional mountain climbing tour guides to deliver winter assistance materials to small villages with complicated road conditions, especially to children and the elderly."
The federal government has announced it will be sending $1 million to support those who have been affected by the deadly quake.
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong told SBS that Australia is prepared to assist the Moroccan nation in this difficult time.
"We've seen the devastation from the earthquakes in Morocco, the loss of life, and we have provided a million dollars in humanitarian assistance and we have indicated to the Moroccan authorities that Australia stands ready to assist should we be asked to do so, on other matters."
According to Moroccan state television, the death toll caused by the devastating earthquake has risen to 2,901, with 5,530 people injured.
Following the deadly disaster, an elderly couple in Moulay Ibrahim, a small town and a rural commune in Al Haouz Province, south of Marrakech, have returned to their home to assess the extent of the damage, and couldn't hold back their tears when faced with their severely damaged house.
"Walls crumbled before our eyes, blocking our path to safety. Panic set in as we desperately tried to open the door, fearing it would be our last moments trapped inside. The wall fell just before it, leaving us with no way out. In our desperation, we raced to the stairs, our only escape, only to find that even the windows had vanished, replaced by the devastation outside. We had no choice but to jump, to leap into the unknown, hoping to find a space amidst the rubble to break our fall. It was a harrowing moment, and in my arms, I held my precious grandson, still so young and innocent."
The only military field hospital in Al Haouz province was opened Tuesday morning to treat earthquake victims.
The hospital has 24 doctors and 48 nurses who provide their services and medical care to the residents of Asni town and also to residents of villages and towns adjacent to the hospital.
One of the survivors says his family barely escaped death but now they have nowhere to go.
"Now we are fine. My wife’s mother had a fracture and I brought her and my children here. They treated them. We thank God that we are still alive. But I lost my house, which completely collapsed. I still have nothing left. I lost all my things. Most important is that I was able to treat my children."
The process of distributing aid by the Morocco Armed Forces began yesterday in the villages affected by the earthquake near the city of Ouarzazate.
The death toll in the area has reached 41, while the number of injured is at about 200.
The number of affected villages is 84 and the amount of aid was allocated is equal to 15,000 shares, with 3,000 distributed so far.
An Ouarzazate resident named Fatima says the situation is desperate.
"We are suffering, my house collapsed and my family's house also collapsed. People are weak and do not have the means to afford construction. My children are currently displaced. All people have been displaced since the earthquake passed. Praise be to God, no one died, but the loss is great. Today they came and delivered aid to us, thanks to them."
Meanwhile, Morocco's King Mohammed VI visited the Mohammed VI University Hospital Center in Marrakesh where victims of the earthquake are receiving medical treatment.
He greeted medical staff, spoke to some of the victims and even made a blood donation.
Members of the Moroccan Parliament convened on Monday to create a government fund for earthquake response at the request of King Mohammed VI.
U-S State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller says an official aid request by the Moroccan government has not been received.
"USAID has been in conversation with them about what assistance that we can provide. We have yet to receive an official request, but we are standing ready to provide all the assistance we can when we get that request."
