REACT Responders on the ground supporting local communities

It has been just over a week since a 6.8 magnitude quake struck Morocco at 23:00 BST. Three response teams are in the country to provide support to resilient local communities who are living through the catastrophic disaster that left people in remote Atlas Mountain villages with nothing.

REACT CEO Toby Wicks has been out to some of the worst-hit villages. He said "It's really great to see communities supporting each other. Almost 3,000 people have died in the disaster, with many more critically injured. The destruction of countless homes has left men, women and children without somewhere safe to sleep as temperatures at night drop below freezing."

The total number of people who have been affected is in the hundreds of thousands, and REACT teams have been on the ground for most of the week. Currently stationed in the village of Amsmiz, the volunteers are deploying on foot daily into the Atlas mountains, about 60km (37 miles) southwest of Marrakech.

Response teams will primarily focus on trying to meet the immediate needs of the hardest-to-reach and most vulnerable populations who have been affected by the earthquake.

"Our top three areas of focus are shelter, sanitation and protection. People need places to stay because so many homes have been destroyed," said Toby. "It's also getting very cold at night high on the Atlas mountains, about 2000m (6561 ft) in altitude so people need blankets and weatherproof shelter to keep warm."

"Having survived the earthquake, the most pressing needs are to keep people, many of them women and children, safe and healthy. Sanitation is a major issue and also protection - people need to be safe where they are sheltering." 

Toby continues "It is inspiring to see so many local NGOs stepping up and local authorities leading that response with the earthquake and it is such a privilege for us to be able to support and accentuate that response.”

There is still much to do. REACT has launched the Morocco Earthquake Appeal and is asking for the support of the general public. 

Please consider donating to the Morocco Earthquake Appeal today, to support the response and help people who are still in dire need.