- Marrakesh stallholder recalls earthquake horror
- Debris cleared, Medina slowly recovers
- Tourism rebounds despite earthquake’s impact
Zakaria Lamnichri, age 39, was astounded, similar to the rest of Marrakesh, when the earthquake struck six months ago.
While reminiscing from his stall in the city’s heart, inquiries from travelers perusing the area disrupted his natural flow of thought. He recounts the tremors he felt during the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that ravaged the surrounding mountains, resulting in the loss of approximately 3,000 lives.
“The moment was horrifying for those who were present.” My spouse and offspring were hiking in the foothills. I was in attendance. I felt dread for their safety. “That terror lingered for days for them,” he continued, describing how rescuers had difficulty reaching the remote, small village where his family was staying, which, like many others in the High Atlas Mountains, could only be reached by moped or donkey.
“No one anticipated it,” he continued. “Everyone was uncertain of what to do.” I was most profoundly moved by the dynamic aspect of witnessing the difficulties endured by others. “Of wealthy individuals who were left destitute,” he says, hesitating.
“Personals who were parents but experienced the loss of their children.”
Although the earthquake’s epicenter was located at 75 kilometers (47 miles), the extensive devastation that persists in the heart of Marrakesh is evidence of its profound destructive capacity. Similarly, the substantial influx of visitors to the North African city shows its enduring allure.
However, similar to those residing in the highlands, a significant portion of the local population has lost all hope for the future and no longer perceives the same rewards and difficulties that have come before.
Historiography concludes
Today, a significant portion of the debris that obstructed the pathways of the Medina in the 12th century has been removed. For the most severely damaged homes, such as those in the mullah or Jewish district, where homes once stood, expansive expanses of loose debris have been deposited.
Karim Nassir’s residence was unaffected by the earthquake. Nonetheless, he recollects being bundled into the darkness with his spouse and their seven-year-old child.
“Very dark,” he recollects now, his son dangling from his leg. “However, the sound of houses collapsing could be heard,” he said, describing the confusion and dust pervading Medina’s narrow alleyways and lanes.
“Many families have relocated,” says a 27-year-old spice vendor, Abdul Samad. “Many families have departed. “Everything is over; take a look,” he declares, indicating the lattice of fissures and splits that line the wall behind him.
“My family has relocated,” he declares, explaining that their previous residence had scarcely survived the earthquake.
The destruction encompasses a significant portion of the Medina, including the renowned Kutubiyya Mosque, whose unique minaret adorns the tens of thousands of fridge magnets available throughout the Medina. However, the most severe impact was felt in the mullah, formerly inhabited by approximately 70,000 ethnic individuals but has since been reduced to a mere 250 due to factors such as emigration, war, and history.
Houses that had endured for generations are in ruins throughout the mullah, their occupants compelled to reside in unharmed outhouses and storage sheds.
In the region historically struck exclusively by earthquakes, there is constant discourse regarding the loss of any semblance of permanence and the anticipation of the next seismic event that will obliterate everything. This sentiment extends to the mountains that tower above the city.
Several tourists revisit
As word of the earthquake spread globally, it was inevitable that tourists would cancel their travels.
Tourism, an estimated 7 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), is a critical pillar of the Moroccan economy, virtually destroyed by the pandemic.
September, in particular, was the month in which a sustainable recovery appeared elusive in the most visited city in Morocco. As inescapably as the visitors descended, they nevertheless reconvened.
Despite the devastation and fatalities, 2023 closed as a record year for tourism, with a 12 percent increase in closures compared to the previous year.
During February, considered the off-season in Morocco, the hotels in Marrakesh are filled with international visitors, tourists, and those simply curious about the city. Moreover, the Medina is teeming with individuals searching for winter sun and an opportunity to immerse themselves in Moroccan culture.
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“Since the earthquake, attendance has decreased by about half,” stallholder Nourddine Idar says from the recesses of the Jewish district, a tapestry of imitation animal hides adorning the wall behind him.
“They returned approximately two weeks later,” the 26-year-old said, describing the diversity of customers who peruse the merchandise at his store.
Contrarily, the wall exhibited fissures.
The previous day, two twenty-somethings from the United Kingdom, Brian Cox and Kayleigh Singh, had arrived in the courtyard of one of the mullah’s two synagogues to examine an exceptionally self-assured tortoise.
“We have just arrived to observe something novel,” Kayleigh explains.
“We’ve heard it’s extremely culturally diverse, and the locals are also very friendly and accommodating,” Jack continues.
