International aid has begun to mobilize to collaborate in the search for survivors and in the rescue operations in the areas affected by the earthquake that struck the region of Marrakesh, in the south of Morocco, on Friday, and which has lifted the lives of more than 2,000 people, according to the latest counts.
Rescue teams have begun to deploy, after Morocco accepted help from four countries: Spain, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. According to Ministry of Defense sources, Spain activated the operation after Morocco officially requested help from the current Government. Thus, from Zaragoza, an urban search and rescue team (USAR) of the military emergency unit (UME), composed of 56 military personnel and 4 dogs, is already in Morocco to collaborate in the search and rescue of survivors of the devastating earthquake.
According to the Ministry of the Interior of Spain, the general direction of Civil Protection and Emergency is coordinating the deployment of a total of 65 UME personnel, to which additional teams from autonomous communities may be added. It is planned that during the next few hours a team of 30 people from the special emergency and immediate response unit of the Community of Madrid (Ericam), made up of firefighters and personnel from Summa112, with canine guides and four dogs rescue
At the same time, five firefighters from Malaga City Council will be added to the rescue device organized by the organization Bombers sans Fronteres.
From New Delhi, several G-20 leaders have reiterated to Morocco their readiness to provide “urgent” short-term aid for recovery after the earthquake.
“Together with all our international partners, we support Morocco in providing all the support needed for any urgent short-term financial needs and for reconstruction efforts,” said a joint statement released by the European Union (EU). in the context of the G-20 summit held in India. In the statement, the leaders assure that they will mobilize technical assistance “in a coordinated manner to help the people of Morocco overcome this terrible tragedy.”
The European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic, has reiterated the EU’s willingness to collaborate and, at Morocco’s request, “to activate the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to help national first responders with any kind of “help they need from Europe”. The commissioner indicated that the EU is following “closely” the development of events in Morocco in view of the consequences of the “deadly earthquake”.
However, a Moroccan diplomatic source explained yesterday that, after accepting the participation of rescue teams from Spain, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, the Maghreb country has no need for the moment other kind of help.
The source expressed his gratitude to the countries that have offered help and affirmed that Morocco is following a “responsible, rigorous and effective approach” to manage the demands for international support, linking them to the needs that arise on the ground .
Thus, for example, he assured that they do not need tents, so “it would be of no use to manage tent warehouses when there is no need”, to which he added that it is possible that his country accepts other types of offers to help if needed.
To facilitate the arrival of international aid, Algeria has decided to open its airspace – closed for two years due to strong diplomatic differences with the neighboring country – to humanitarian flights to Morocco, a decision that has been praised by the Arab League .
