Cornwall international disaster relief charity sending emergency assessment team to Morocco

It follows Friday's earthquake

Author: Sophie SquiresPublished 11th Sep 2023

Cornwall-based international disaster relief charity ShelterBox is sending an emergency assessment team to Morocco, following Friday's earthquake.

More than 2,100 people are known to have died and nearly 2,500 have been injured.

It is the most powerful quake to hit the nation in 120 years.

Emergency Response Manager Dave Raybould says they will be finding out what support is needed, and if they are well placed to help:

"It's going to take time to fully understand the extent of the damage and how many people are without shelter, that's why we're sending a team.

"We want to speak with local people, local organisations, local government and our rotary networks as we try to understand how we're best able to support."

ShelterBox specialises in emergency shelter and is experienced in responding to earthquakes, having most recently responded in Türkiye and Syria.

Dave continues: "Looking at the reports, access routes between mountain villages are currently blocked with rubble and communication networks are severely affected.

"Our assessment team will be looking carefully at what a response could look like and how we might potentially get aid to where it's needed most if we do end up responding.

"We know buildings have been flattened and the ones that are still standing are unsafe for people to stay in and that creates uncertainty and panic. We've seen those situations before and people have little choice but to sleep out in the open.

"Affected areas are at higher altitudes and temperatures will dip as winter approaches, which is likely to increase the humanitarian need in the region for people without shelter."

ShelterBox say they will look at all options if they decide to respond, including sending tents, shelter kits, cash assistance, or solar lights.

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