HM KING MOHAMMED VI, ANNOUNCES A 3-DAY NATIONAL MOURNING, FLAGS FASTING AT MAST

USPA NEWS - The Royal Cabinet of Morocco, in Rabat, published an official press release on September 9, 2023, following the tragic earthquake which struck Morocco a in the High Mountains, around Marrakech, and other cities, on September 9, causing more than two thousands death and hundreds of wounded. The earthquake disaster in the central part of the Kingdom of Morocco, caused severe damages as well. (We publish the entire communiqué, as it was delivered. USPA’S correspondent/ French Bureau, conveys her own condolences to the Moroccan people for their loss, speed recovery for the wounded )
HM, The King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, convened a crisis meeting, yesterday, at the Royal Cabinet to put in place the muses and priorities for action in the face of the damage of the tragic earthquake which took place on September 9, 2023 . At the end of this meeting, it was also decided to hold a national mourning for 3 days, with flags at half-mast on all public buildings, as well as the ministerial departments concerned, focused mainly on:
- Reinforcement of search and rescue resource
- The supply of drinking water to the affected areas;
- The distribution of food kits, tents,blankets for the victims

HM KING MOHAMMED VI, ANNOUNCES A 3-DAY NATIONAL MOURNING, WITH FLAGS FASTING AT MASTING ON ALL PUBLIC BUILDINGS The Royal Cabinet of Morocco, in Rabat, published an official press release on September 9, 2023, following the tragic earthquake which struck Morocco a in the High Mountains, around Marrakech, and other cities, on September 9, causing more than two thousands death and hundreds of wounded. The earthquake disaster in the central part of the Kingdom of Morocco, which epicenter was in the High Atlas Mountains , 71km, 945 mikes has indeed caused severe damages as well. (We publish the entire communiqué, as it was delivered. USPA’S correspondent/ French Bureau, conveys her own condolences to the Moroccan people for their loss, speed recovery for the wounded and express genuine solidarity.)

HM, The King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, convened a crisis meeting, on September 9, 2023, at the Royal Cabinet to put in place the muses and priorities for action in the face of the damage of the tragic earthquake which took place on September 9, 2023 . At the end of this meeting, it was also decided to hold a national mourning for 3 days, with flags at half-mast on all public buildings, as well as the ministerial departments concerned, focused mainly on:
- Reinforcement of search and rescue resources and teams in order to speed up rescue operations and evacuation of injured persons;
- The supply of drinking water to the affected areas;
- The distribution of food kits, tents and blankets for the benefit of the victims;
- The rapid resumption of public services.

STATEMENT BY THE KINGDOM CABINET AS IT WAS DELIVERED, 9 SEPT23, RABAT "His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God help him, accompanied by HRH Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, chaired on the afternoon of Saturday September 9, 2023 at the Royal Palace in Rabat, a working session devoted to the examination of the situation following the painful earthquake that occurred on Friday September 8 and which caused significant human and material losses in several regions of the Kingdom. To this end, the officials present presented to His Majesty the King, may God assist him, the latest developments experienced by the affected prefectures and provinces, in particular at the level of certain localities which were inaccessible during the night and in which the point of the situation and the intervention of the emergency services could only be carried out at daybreak. During this session, the officials present brought to the Very High Royal Attention the details of the measures that have been taken to respond quickly to this major natural disaster.

These emergency measures, subject to instructions and constant monitoring by His Majesty the King, may God assist him from the first moments following the earthquake, and having known the intervention of the Royal Armed Forces, local authorities, law enforcement services and civil protection teams, as well as the ministerial departments concerned, focused mainly on:
- Reinforcement of search and rescue resources and teams in order to speed up rescue operations and evacuation of injured persons;
- The supply of drinking water to the affected areas;
- The distribution of food kits, tents and blankets for the benefit of the victims;
- The rapid resumption of public services.

It is recalled in this regard that on the High Instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Supreme Leader and Chief of General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, the FAR urgently deployed significant human and logistical resources, both air and land. , as well as specialized intervention modules based on search and rescue teams and a field medical-surgical hospital.
In this context, His Majesty the King has given His Highest instructions with a view to promptly continuing the relief actions carried out on the ground, and with a view to:
- Immediately set up an interministerial commission responsible for deploying an emergency rehabilitation program and assistance for the reconstruction of destroyed housing in the disaster areas, as quickly as possible.
- Caring for people in distress, particularly orphans and vulnerable people.
- Immediate care for all people who find themselves homeless due to the earthquake, particularly in terms of accommodation, food and all other basic needs.
- The encouragement of economic operators with a view to a rapid resumption of activities in the areas concerned.

- The opening of a special account with the Treasury and Bank Al Maghrib, with a view to receiving voluntary solidarity contributions from citizens and private and public organizations.
- The full mobilization of the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, in all its components, to provide support and accompaniment to citizens in the affected areas.
- The creation of reserves and stocks of basic necessities (medicines, tents, beds, food, etc.) in each region of the Kingdom to prepare for any type of disaster.
It was also decided to hold a national mourning for 3 days, with flags at half-mast on all public buildings.
In addition, His Majesty King Amir Al Mouminin gave His High Instructions to the Minister of Habous and Islamic Affairs for the performance of the prayer of the absentee (Salat Al Ghaib) in all the mosques of the Kingdom, for the rest for the souls of the victims.

The Sovereign also expressed the Kingdom of Morocco's most sincere thanks to the many brotherly and friendly countries who have expressed their solidarity with the Moroccan people in this difficult situation and several of whom have expressed their availability to provide help and assistance in these particular circumstances. Taking part in this working session were the Head of Government, Mr. Aziz Akhannouch, the Minister of the Interior, Mr. Abdelouafi Laftit, the Minister of Health and Social Protection, Mr. Khalid Ait Taleb, as well as Lieutenant General, Mohammed Berrid, Inspector General of the FAR and Commander of the Southern Zone, Lieutenant General, Mohamed Haramou, Commander of the Royal Gendarmerie, Brigadier General, Mohamed Elabbar, Inspector of the Service of Military Health of the FAR, Colonel-Major Ihssane Lotfi, Director General of Civil Protection, Mr. Abdellatif Hammouchi, Director General of National Security, Director General of National Territorial Surveillance, and Mr. Mohamed El Azami, coordinator and member of the Board of Directors of the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity".