A wedding celebration turned out to be a life-saving event for the people of a Moroccan village, who escaped the deadly earthquake that struck on Friday night by being outdoors in a festive courtyard.
The quake, which measured 6.8 in magnitude and was the strongest to hit Morocco in more than a century, killed more than 2,900 people and destroyed thousands of homes, mostly in remote mountainous areas. But in the village of Ighil Ntalghoumt, where the bride’s family had invited hundreds of guests for a traditional pre-wedding party, no one died or was seriously injured, according to residents.
A video filmed by a guest showed the moment the quake hit, with musicians playing flutes and drums suddenly interrupted by screams and panic. The video also showed an eight-year-old boy being carried by his father after being hit by a falling rock. The bride, Habiba Ajdir, 22, and the groom, Mohammed Boudad, 30, an apple farmer, were still wearing their wedding clothes on Tuesday, nearly four days after the quake buried their possessions in the rubble.
Boudad said he was terrified for his bride when the quake struck, as he was waiting for her in his own village of Kettou, where another communal event – a funeral – had also saved many lives. Despite the disaster, Ajdir travelled to Kettou on Saturday with Boudad’s brother and his wife, who had been at the party. They found widespread damage but no deaths. The couple said they were looking for a tent to sleep in, as their house was destroyed. They also said they were grateful for their fate and shared their meagre supplies with their neighbours.
The villagers said they needed more help from the authorities and humanitarian organisations, as they feared the cold and rainy weather that was expected later this week. Other villages near the epicentre of the quake were not so lucky. In Tikekhte, for example, 68 people out of 400 inhabitants died and not a house was left standing.
Morocco’s Interior Ministry said it had activated all resources available to deal with the tragedy and urged people to keep calm and avoid panic. The quake also caused damage and panic in Marrakech, a popular tourist destination and UNESCO World Heritage site. Some buildings collapsed in the old city and people fled their homes. The quake was felt as far as Rabat, about 350 km north of Ighil, and Essaouira, about 200 km west of Marrakech.
Morocco is located on a major fault line that separates the African and Eurasian tectonic plates. The country has experienced several devastating earthquakes in its history, including one in 1960 that killed about 12,000 people. Scientists have warned that Morocco is vulnerable to more seismic activity and urged the government to improve its building codes and disaster preparedness.
Source: [Reuters]Â
