The Minister Delegate for Budget in Morocco, Fouad El-Lajji, announced on Friday that the earthquake that struck the country caused damage to approximately 2,930 villages inhabited by 2.8 million people in the Atlas Mountains. El-Lajji stated before the parliament that at least 59,674 homes were affected by the earthquake, with 32% of these homes completely collapsed. He added that the government would provide 2,500 dirhams (244 dollars) per month for one year to support families affected by the earthquake, in addition to 140,000 dirhams for families whose homes completely collapsed, and 80,000 dirhams for families whose homes were partially damaged.
El-Lajji emphasized that the reconstruction efforts must take into account the architectural characteristics of the Great Atlas Mountains. The earthquake, which is the deadliest in Morocco since 1960, destroyed several small settlements built from traditional clay brick, stone, and wood, which are distinctive features of the Atlas Mountains where residents speak the Amazigh language.
The royal cabinet announced on Wednesday that the kingdom plans to spend 120 billion dirhams over the next five years as part of a reconstruction program following the earthquake. The earthquake struck some of the poorest areas in Morocco, including many remote villages lacking proper roads and government services. The quake, which measured 6.8 on the Richter scale, occurred on September 8 and resulted in the deaths of over 2,900 people, most of whom were in mountainous areas that are difficult to access due to their rugged terrain and rough roads.
