Following a 6.8-magnitude earthquake late on Friday night (local time), more than 2,000 people were killed in Morocco, while thousands more were injured.
The quake was the strongest to hit Morocco in more than a century, with the epicentre located close to the popular tourist city of Marrakesh.
Citing WHO data, CNN reports that over 300,000 people were impacted in Marrakesh and surrounding regions including many historic sites. But the hardest hit areas are those close to the Atlas Mountains.
Official advice
According to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), multiple cities in the North African country felt the earthquake.
“Infrastructure (power, water and communications) has been impacted. Be aware that aftershocks may occur,” it said on its Smartraveller website, urrging Aussies in Morocco to follow local authority advice.
“If you have concerns about family and friends in Morocco, try to contact them directly before calling the Consular Emergency Centre.
“If you have been affected and require emergency consular assistance, contact DFAT’s 24/7 Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305.”
Air travel
According to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), “all Moroccan airports are open and flights to and from the UK are operating normally, with some airlines laying on additional seats for travellers wishing to return to the UK earlier than planned”.
“If you are planning to travel to Morocco imminently we advise you check with your accommodation provider/tour operator to confirm arrangements before departure in case of disruption or damage resulting from the earthquake,” the FCO advised.
Meanwhile, Air France said on the weekend that all its flights to and from Moroccan airports (Marrakech-Menara, Casablanca Mohammed-V and Rabat-Salé) were operating normally, Reuters reported.
A popular destination among French travellers, Morocco was under French rule for most of the first half of the 20th century.
“Commercial measures are in place, allowing customers with a booking for travel to or from Morocco in the next few days to modify or postpone their trip free of charge,” Air France said.
It added that it would look at adding or upgauging flights in the coming days.
Among other airlines, British Airways said, “We are continuing to monitor the situation closely, and customers due to travel to or from Marrakech in the next two weeks can change their dates free of charge if they wish”, The Independent reported.
Intrepid fund
Meanwhile, one of the largest operators to Morocco from Australia, Intrepid Travel said it had 66 tour groups and around 650 customers on tours in the country at the time of the earthquake, “all of whom are accounted for”.
To help the recovery effort in the country, Intrepid has also launched an emergency appeal through its not-for-profit, Intrepid Foundation, committing to double all donations up to AU$100,000.
“All funds raised will go directly to grassroots organisations to provide emergency relief and support in Morocco,” it said in a statement.
Operating 33 tours to the country, Intrepid added that Morocco was one of the company’s biggest destinations globally.
“Intrepid was founded on the idea of benefiting both the travellers and the people in the communities we visit,” Intrepid Travel EMEA managing director Zina Bencheikh said.
“Through this relief effort, we hope to give back to the country that has given so much to our travel community.
“My heart is with Morocco, my home, and one of the most special places in the world.”
To donate, visit Morocco Earthquake Appeal at https://bit.ly/3P5fJfO.
Another major tour operator to Morocco, Bunnik Tours, said in a statement that all of its clients, staff and tour directors are safe.
“Our thoughts are with those directly impacted by this tragedy and those leading the rescue and recovery operations,” it said in an email to Karryon.
“Our operations team is working with our local office to assess the situation and the impact on any upcoming departures. We will provide further updates as they become available.”
Tourist appeal
According to The Telegraph, there are fears Marrakesh has lost some of its famous treasures to the quake as images of rubbled ruins from the city’s historic old town emerge from the disaster.
Known as the Medina, the old city became a Unesco World Heritage site in 1985 and boasts buildings from as far back as the 11th century.
Marrakesh is especially well known for its souks, the Jemaa el-Fnaa square and market, and the giant red walls surrounding the metropolis.
Before the earthquake, Morocco tourism had recovered well from the pandemic, with visitor numbers surging by 92 per cent to around 6.5 million in the first six months of 2023.
