'Challenges are vast': Here's how to help victims of the earthquake in Morocco

A devastating earthquake struck Morocco on Friday, leaving more than 2,000 dead and over 2,000 injured.

The 6.8-magnitude quake struck the province of  Al Haouz in the High Atlas Mountains, around 75 km or 50 miles southwest of the city of Marrakech. It is the strongest earthquake to hit the country in the last 123 years, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Teams from Britain, Qatar, and Spain are also on the ground assisting in rescue efforts. U.K. Ambassador to Morocco Simon Martin posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that 60 search and rescue experts and four search dogs sent from the U.K. had arrived.

A small team of disaster experts from the U.S. also arrived in Morocco on Sunday to assess the situation, Reuters reported.

The initial earthquake was followed by an aftershock on Sunday of a 3.9 magnitude, as support teams continued to pull survivors from the rubble. The UN estimates that 300,000 people have been affected by the quake.

Many buildings throughout the area collapsed, leaving residents sleeping on the street. Rural villages with buildings constructed from mud brick were particularly vulnerable to the quake and sustained high amounts of damage.

"The challenges are vast. The search and rescue effort is the focus at this point – and trying to get heavy machinery into those remote areas of the Atlas Mountains to help with that is a priority," said IFRC director Caroline Holt.

"Our partner on the ground – the Moroccan Red Crescent – is really working to provide First Aid and keep people safe from harm as the aftershocks continue.”

In addition to ramped up rescue efforts, the Moroccan government's emergency response will focus on supplying clean drinking water, food kits, tents and blankets to disaster victims, according to a statement released on Saturday. The government announced three days of national mourning.

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How to Help

The International Medical Corps is coordinating a emergency medical teams in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) to respond to the situation on the ground. It is collecting donations via its website to go towards the effort.

The International Federation of Red Cross has released 1 million Swiss francs from its Disaster Response Emergency Fund to aid the operations of the national Moroccan Red Crescent Society. The British Red Cross has also sent out an appeal for donations.

The UN has also announced that it is in communication with the Moroccan government and stands ready to assist in relief efforts. UNICEF is requesting donations to go towards its emergency support for children and their families.

Doctors Without Borders announced the mobilization of an emergency team in Morocco and is accepting donations on its website.

The non-profit organization GlobalGiving has opened a fund dedicated to providing "food, fuel, clean water, medicine, and shelter" to victims of the quake. Donations will also go towards long-term economic relief and recovery projects.

International nonprofit CARE has mobilized an emergency response effort focused on assisting women and girls, youth, and disadvantaged groups. Their fund is accepting donations online.

The crowdfunding website GoFundMe has also released a list of verified fundraisers to help individuals and families impacted by the disaster.

Cybele Mayes-Osterman is a breaking news reporter for USA Today. You can reach her by email at [email protected]. Follow her on X at @CybeleMO.