Efforts to rescue survivors of Moroccan earthquake 'being hampered by geography'

Hamza Taouzzale, former lord mayor of Westminster, returned from a visit to the country saying rural and mountainous areas are hard to reach

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  People react during the funeral of two victims of the deadly earthquake, in Moulay Brahim, Morocco. Reuters

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  Earthquake devastation in Douar El Darb village in Weguen municipality of El Haouz district. Photo: Ghaya Ben Mbarek / The National

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  A man cries as he sits on the rubble of a house in the village of Tiksit, south of Adassil, two days after a devastating 6. 8-magnitude earthquake struck the country. Moroccans on September 10 mourned the victims of a devastating earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people as rescue teams raced to find survivors trapped under the rubble of flattened villages. AFP

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  A man distributes bread to locals, in Moulay Brahim, south of Marrakesh, Morocco, following a powerful earthquake. The earthquake has affected more than 300,000 people in Marrakesh and its outskirts, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said. Morocco's King Mohammed VI declared a three-day national mourning for the victims of the earthquake. EPA

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  Villagers inspect the rubble of collapsed houses in Tafeghaghte, 60 kilometres (37 miles) southwest of Marrakesh, as rescue teams raced to find survivors. AFP

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  Women cry as they mourn victims of the earthquake in Moulay Brahim in the province of Al Haouz, Morocco. AP Photo

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  A man walks amongst the rubble of collapsed buildings following yesterday's earthquake, in Moulay Brahim, Morocco. Getty Images

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  Volunteers watch as a digger moves rubble of collapsed houses in Tafeghaghte, 60 kilometres (37 miles) southwest of Marrakesh. AFP

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  A man rides a bicycle past an earthquake-damaged building in the old quarters of Marrakesh. AFP

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  Rescue workers dig through rubble after an earthquake in the mountain village of Tafeghaghte, southwest of the city of Marrakesh. AFP

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  A woman carries belongings out of a damaged building in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake in Moulay Brahim, Morocco. Reuters

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  A man stands next to damaged buildings and debris, in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake in Moulay Brahim, Morocco. Reuters

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  Foreign visitors to Morocco are evacuated from Marrakesh on a special Aegean Airlines flight following a powerful earthquake. Reuters

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  People work to clear debris in the historic city of Marrakesh after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Morocco. Reuters

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  An injured man lies on the ground as he and his wife prepare to spend a second night in the open air in the village of Tansghart, Morocco. Reuters

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  The Eiffel Tower's lights are turned off in Paris as a tribute to the victims of the Morocco earthquake. Getty Images

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  A damaged room in the village of Tansghart after a powerful earthquake in Morocco. Reuters

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  Hundreds of people sleep outside on Jeema El Fna square in Marrakesh after a deadly earthquake hit Morocco. EPA

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  A person is rescued from under rubble and taken into an ambulance in Moulay Brahim village after an earthquake in Morocco that killed more than 2,000 people. Reuters

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  A Moroccan man stands near his home in Al Haouz province, which was damaged during the quake. Reuters

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  People sleep inside the Marrakesh airport waiting for a flight after the earthquake. EPA

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  People sit in a tent on Mohammed VI Avenue in Marrakesh. EPA

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  Many homes in Marrakesh were badly damaged during the magnitude 6.8 earthquake. EPA

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  A car lies damaged under fallen rubble from a nearby building in Marrakesh. Getty Images

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  Moroccan Royal Armed Forces search through the rubble of houses after an earthquake in the mountain village of Tafeghaghte, south-west of the city of Marrakesh. AFP

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  A man rescues a donkey trapped under rubble after an earthquake in the mountain village of Tafeghaghte, south-west of the city of Marrakesh. AFP

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  Rescue workers search for survivors in a collapsed house in Moulay Brahim, Al Haouz province, after an earthquake on Friday. AFP

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  The earthquake that hit central Morocco killed more than 2,000 people and injured more than 2,000 others, according to a provisional report from the country's Interior Ministry. EPA

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  The earthquake, measuring magnitude 6.8 according to the USGS, damaged buildings from villages and towns in the Atlas Mountains to Marrakesh. EPA

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  People donate blood following a powerful earthquake in the historic city of Marrakesh. Reuters

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  A man drives past a damaged wall of the historic Medina of Marrakesh. AP Photo

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  People work next to damage in Marrakesh. Reuters

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  A woman reacts standing in front of her house damaged by an earthquake in the old city in Marrakesh. AFP

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  A man walks with his belongings through the rubble in an alleyway in the earthquake-damaged old city in Marrakesh. AFP

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  A damaged vehicle is pictured in the historic city of Marrakesh, following a powerful earthquake in Morocco on Friday. Reuters

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  A view shows damage at an old mosque in the historic city of Marrakesh. Reuters

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  A view shows damage in Marrakesh. Reuters

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  Residents take shelter outside at a square following an earthquake in Marrakesh on Friday. AFP

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  More than 2,000 people were killed after a powerful earthquake rattled Morocco on Friday night, with Marrakesh residents reporting "unbearable" screams after the 6.8-magnitude quake. AFP

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  Debris in the aftermath of an earthquake in Marrakesh. Reuters

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  Employees of Morocco's National Institute of Geophysics in Rabat monitor earthquake developments on a screen. EPA

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  Debris and wreckage in the streets of Marrakesh. Reuters

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  Earthquake damage in Morocco. Reuters

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  People gather on a street in Casablanca, following a powerful earthquake in Morocco, September 9, 2023. REUTERS / Abdelhak Balhaki

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  Damage to a building in Marrakesh in the aftermath of the earthquake. Reuters

Efforts to rescue survivors of Morocco's devastating earthquake are being hampered by the country’s geography, says the former lord mayor of Westminster.

Hamza Taouzzale, who is of Moroccan descent and returned from a visit to the country on Thursday, said many areas worst affected are rural and mountainous, making them hard to reach.

He is urging Britons to offer the people of Morocco a “source of hope” by sending things like non-perishable food and blankets.

He told The National his contacts in the country said rescuers are still finding survivors and uncovering bodies under the rubble following the quake in the High Atlas mountains on Friday night that has killed at least 2,012 people.

“These are in the mountainous rural regions which are quite hard to get to,” he said.

In many of the areas, there may be only one or two shops.

“And if they get knocked down or something happens to them, that’s the area done for. You have to rely on food from three hours away.”

He said many people are still sleeping outside out of fear of aftershocks.

“They still don’t know what’s going to happen, which is the biggest concern. People initially were told to stay outside because there might be a second earthquake or a third earthquake,” he said.

People gather on a street in Casablanca, following a powerful earthquake in Morocco. Reuters

“So you had people, even for a second night yesterday sleeping out on the streets because they weren’t sure [whether their homes could withstand another earthquake].

“They are not the sort of homes we have here in the UK. They are more susceptible to damage.”

He urged people in the UK to reach out to charities to send food and blankets, which are used to cover bodies during their burial.

Mr Taouzzale returned just days ago from a trip to the country to visit friends and family in the north and Casablanca, which was affected by the quake.

“I have spoken to some friends in Meknes and Casablanca,” he said.

“Casablanca obviously is a bit further out. But they still felt it as well. Meknes felt it a little more but they are closer to the region where the earthquake hit.

“It’s such a shock, so a lot of them are just taking time to comprehend what’s happened.

“A lot of them have said to me they are lucky it was at 11pm because they were still awake. If people were at home sleeping the death toll would have been a lot larger.”