Earthquake: King of Morocco Chaired an Urgent Working Session\ Newslooks Washington DC \ MAP \ King Mohamed VI of Morocco chaired Saturday, September 9, 2023, in the Royal Palace in Rabat, a working session dedicated to examining the situation following the earthquake that occurred Friday, September 8, and caused human and material losses in various regions of the kingdom.
officials present in the working session briefed King Mohammed VI, on the latest developments in the affected areas, notably in some localities that were inaccessible during the evening, and relief interventions were not possible until sunrise. King was also briefed on the measures taken to quickly address this large-scale natural catastrophe.
These emergency measures, subject to instructions and constant follow-up by HM King Mohammed VI since the first moments that followed the earthquake and witnessed the intervention of the Royal Armed Forces, local authorities, security services and
Civil Protection units, as well as the ministries concerned, focused notably on:
- Reinforcing the national blood stock
- Supplying drinking water to affected areas
- Distributing food kits, tents, and blankets to the affected population
- Quickly resuming public services
Upon the High Instructions of HM King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander, and Chief of Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), the Royal Armed Forces urgently deployed significant human and logistical air and land resources, as well as specialized intervention modules based on search and rescue teams and a medical-surgical field hospital.
The Moroccan Monarch has given His Instructions to expeditiously continue field relief efforts, as well as:
- Immediately set up an inter-ministerial commission in charge of carrying out an emergency rehabilitation and aid program to reconstruct as soon as possible the destroyed homes in the affected areas.
- Provide care to people in distress, notably orphans and vulnerable people.
- Provide immediate care to all people who found themselves without shelter following the earthquake, notably in terms of housing, food, and other basic needs.
- Encourage economic operators for a quick resumption of activities in the affected areas.
- Open a special account at the National Bank to receive solidarity contributions of citizens, private and public instructions.
- Ensure the full mobilization of the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, with all its components, to support citizens in affected areas
- Create reserves and stocks of necessities (medicines, tents, beds, food… etc. in every region of the Kingdom to prepare for any type of disaster.
It was also decided to observe three days of national mourning, with Flying the flag to half-mast on all public facilities.
As Commander of the Faithful, King Mohammed VI also gave Instructions to the minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs to perform the Absent Prayer (Salat Al Ghaib) in all mosques throughout the Kingdom, for the repose of the victims’ souls.
The Sovereign also expressed the sincere thanks of the kingdom of Morocco to all brotherly and friendly countries that expressed their solidarity with the Moroccan people on this situation, and many of which expressed their readiness to provide aid in these special circumstances.
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