On September 8, 2023, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit Morocco killing almost 3,000 people and injuring a further 300,000. The earthquake also affected parts of Algeria and Portugal.

Marrakesh, a historic and popular tourist destination, was the most impacted large city, with a population of 840,000 people. Casablanca, Agadir, Essaouira and Rabat were other cities affected by the earthquake. Experts believe that the reason behind the earthquake was that an African plate moved north and collided with the Eurasian plate, causing the quake.

Morocco is getting aid from Spain, Qatar, the UAE and the UK as the government and some volunteers are distributing essential supplies. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) deployed a small assessment team to Morocco to support local responders assessing the situation.

Henry Spence (9) said, “We should help Morocco, but if we help them then we have to help other countries like Ukraine.”

Carmen Oakes (Science Teacher) said that, “It would take a while for Morocco to recover from the earthquake because not only were buildings destroyed, but there were buildings that were damaged, and they would have to be repaired for them to be safe.”

Morocco has earmarked $11.7 billion for relief and reconstruction spending. The spending includes cash handouts to some 60,000 affected households and upgrades to infrastructure. Global Giving has asked for donations to its Morocco Earthquake Relief Fund to help survivors with emergency relief, as well as long-term support. The donations will provide food, clean water, medicine, and shelter for survivors.