How to help the victims of the Morocco earthquake

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake has left more than 2000 people dead in the historic city of Marrakech in Morocco as well as injuring 329 others.

A tremor hit the city late on Friday night with the epicentre striking in the High Atlas Mountains followed by a 4.9 magnitude aftershock.

Due to the location of the epicentre most of the reported deaths occurred in the mountain areas which made it hard for emergency services to reach the areas and help those affected.

A British journalist living in Morocco said he was woken up by the sound of his wife screaming as an earthquake shook his home.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Martin Jay said: “The first hint was my wife screaming,” he said.

“We both had nodded off to sleep – but not into deep sleep – just into that light slumber I suppose… and she started screaming, and I just sort of opened my eyes and couldn’t quite join the dots up.

“I couldn’t quite equate the situation, I couldn’t imagine I was in the middle of an earthquake.

“Everything was vibrating, everything, the bed, the floor, the four walls.”

In the wake of these types of tragedies, it is easy for misinformation to spread and create further hysteria. Here's a quick guide on how you can help those in Morocco impacted by the earthquake and how you can assist in the recovery efforts.

Get your information from official news sources

People might share what they believe is accurate information during the immediate aftermath of an event of this magnitude but can sometimes be wrong.

It's imperative to always check where this information is being sourced from and if it is from an official and recognised outlet or body of government.

If in doubt, reference what information has already been distributed by emergency services and the Moroccan government.

If you have relatives in the area

If you are living outside of Morocco but are concerned about any relatives that you might have in the area then it is best to contact your relevant embassy.

The British embassy in Morocco is the capital city of Rabat. Should you be in Morocco at this time and need urgent assitance you can contact them on +212 (0) 537 633 333. If you are in the UK you can call the embassy on 020 7008 5000.

You can also contact the Moroccan embassy in London via the below information:

Address:

49 Queen's Gate Gardens, SW7 5NE, London, United Kingdom

Phone:

+44-207-581-5001

+44-207-581-5004

Fax:

+44-207-225-3862

Email:

ambalondres@maec.gov.ma

Website:

http://www.moroccanembassylondon.org.uk

Donate

Numerous charities and organisations will be taking donations that will be distributed to those in need in Morocco.

Oxfam: https://www.oxfam.org.uk/donate/

Red Cross: https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/morocco-earthquake-appeal

Unicef: https://www.unicef.org.au/donate/morocco-earthquake

Islamic Relief:https://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/islamic-relief-launches-emergency-appeal-for-deadly-morocco-earthquake/

Human Appeal:https://humanappeal.org.uk/appeals/morocco-earthquake-appeal

Global Giving:https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/morocco-earthquake-relief-fund/

GoFundMe:https://www.gofundme.com/en-gb/c/act/morocco-earth...

One Nation:https://onenationuk.org/morocco

Muslim Aid:https://www.muslimaid.org/appeals/morocco-earthqua...

Crowdfunder: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-morocco-earth...

The UK should send “urgent cash” to help the people of Morocco after the deadly earthquake which has led to hundreds of deaths, the former international development secretary has said.

Asked what the UK can do to help, former Tory MP Rory Stewart told Sky News: “The first thing is very urgent cash assistance because in these emergency situations, people’s lives have been devastated in a matter of minutes.

“I was in the Turkey earthquake… and what you find is a sense of complete devastation and terror because of the aftershocks. The most useful thing you can do is to get cash to people.

“It’s often very tempting to send food or clothes, but the markets are working in Morocco – if you give people cash they can address their own individual family needs.

“Often, if you’re sending clothes or food, you’re sending an inappropriate thing to people. So there are many organisations, I work with one called Give Directly that’s now providing cash support in Morocco.

“But you’ll see UN agencies and others going in. And I think getting the support in quickly is vital in those first three, four days.”

In addition, the Marrakech Regional Blood Transfusion Center has already launched an appeal for blood donations. "We urgently appeal to all citizens, especially those in the city of Marrakech, to donate blood to assist the injuries," the centre said in an appeal.

Additional reporting from PA.

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