Country: Morocco Source: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Please refer to the attached file. A. SITUATION ANALYSIS I. Description of the crisis Initial crisis On 8 September 2023, Morocco was struck by a 6.8 magnitude earthquake, centred in the High Atlas Mountains, 71km southwest of Marrakesh1. Followed by a 4.9 magnitude aftershock, the earthquake caused extensive damage to buildings and critical infrastructure throughout the provinces of ElHaouz/Marrakesh, Chichaoua and Taroudant as well as Ouarzazate and Azilal. Remote villages near the epicentre in the Atlas Mountains have suffered substantial damage and emergency services faced difficulty reaching affected people due to damaged roads and challenging terrain. Authorities have reported some 3,000 human casualties, and some 6,000 people injured as well as almost 60,000 houses destroyed or damaged in urban, peri-urban and rural areas. Schools, health facilities and other public amenities have also suffered severe damage. Damage to houses and critical infrastructure was extensive in all affected areas, resulting in an urgent need for shelter and household essential support. For months, many people continued living in tent settlements close to their damaged homes, and others were crowded in communal ‘displacement’ sites or informal shelters which lack electricity, proper water and sanitation, security and privacy. Today, we see varying levels of completion of house reconstructions depending on the villages, but progress is noticeable everywhere. Water and sanitation facilities have been greatly damaged or destroyed in many communities, exacerbating the risk and spread of diseases stemming from untreated water sources, poor hygiene practices and open defecation. Communicable diseases, in particular, threaten people living in cramped tented settlements. The affected areas, as well as other regions in the country, face a measles epidemic since late 2023 with around 25,000 measles cases and 120 deaths. Primary health care services have been disrupted in affected areas, posing a significant risk to people requiring services for chronic diseases and preventive care, including children and pregnant women. Medical, rehabilitation, and psychosocial services are also limited, especially for those in rural areas. At the same time, interaction with affected people has shown a necessity to provide mental health and psychosocial support services together with other forms of humanitarian assistance. The long-term impact on the mental health of affected communities resulting from the trauma of the earthquake is evident. Considerable damage to houses, buildings and infrastructure has also limited access to livelihoods in affected communities. Many people in remote areas rely on barter trade for survival and have found their resources destroyed or made inaccessible under the rubble of their damaged homes. Destruction of schools has also caused many children, especially girls, to temporarily stop their primary education, and for those who have returned to school, conditions were often very difficult or sometimes putting them at risk. 30-months update Since the establishment of the general reconstruction and rehabilitation program for areas affected by the Al-Haouz earthquake3, official reports indicate a marked acceleration in rehabilitation efforts. By early mid-March 2026, 54,425 housing units have been completed, while more than 3,000 are still under construction according to Grand Atlas development agency.4 Sectoral highlights included: - Housing: 51,154 households have completed the construction, and rehabilitation works of their homes. - Financial Assistance: financial assistance has exceeded 7.2 billion dirhams (≈ 616 million CHF), including 4.7 billion dirhams (≈ 402 mil CHF) for reconstruction and rehabilitation support, and more than 2.5 billion dirhams (≈215 mil CHF) in emergency assistance set at 2,500 dirhams per month, benefiting over 63,000 families. - Education: 1,718 schools were rehabilitated, with a total budget exceeding 3.5 billion dirhams (≈ 300 mil CHF). Rehabilitation and reconstruction works have been completed in 372 schools and launched in an additional 1,090 schools in the affected zones of Al Haouz, Taroudant, Azilal, Chichaoua and Ouarzazate. - Health: Rehabilitation and reconstruction work on 110 health centres have been completed, while operations for an additional 37 centres have been launched, with a total budget of 562 million dirhams (≈48 mil CHF). - Infrastructure: Ongoing works cover 288 km of roads, 49 engineering structures, and 8 km of signage, with progress rates ranging from 10 to 90 percent depending on the project. - Agriculture and Water: the preliminary action plan involving the free distribution of livestock and barley to farmers has been completed, along with the rehabilitation of agricultural and water infrastructure. In addition, 14 drinking water supply systems have been rehabilitated in addition to the 43 hydrological stations repaired by September 2025. - Tourism and Commerce: 235 tourist accommodation establishments have completed their construction and rehabilitation works, representing 98 percent of the establishments selected to benefit from the support. These updates reflect the government’s official assessment of progress made under Royal directives and coordinated through interministerial platforms. While these figures offer a valuable overview of national-level planning and investment, field-level observations by humanitarian actors—including MRCS and its partners—continue to inform specific understanding of recovery dynamics, particularly in remote and socioeconomically vulnerable areas. Continued collaboration between institutional and humanitarian stakeholders remains essential to ensure that reconstruction efforts translate into equitable and sustainable recovery for all affected populations.