The lives of the residents of the areas hit by the earthquake in the Moroccan province of Al Haouz are no longer the same as they were before, after they lost their homes and now live in the desert, searching for drinking water, and relying on firewood instead of fuel.
While the authorities, people of other regions, and civil society organizations continue to provide these residents with basic assistance, these afflicted people lack almost all services.
The massive destruction caused by the earthquake imposed radical changes on people’s lives and customs, and some of them were forced to disperse after the government decided to transfer patients and students to the cities.
After the earthquake, the residents of the area were deprived of water and electricity, and their homes were replaced with tents. What they fear most is that winter will come while they are in this situation.
Afaf, a resident of the village of Talat Ni’aqoub, tells Al Jazeera that she walked a few kilometers in order to charge her mobile phone, after the disaster taught her to do things she was not accustomed to doing.
Although she was able to extract some of the belongings from her destroyed house, what remains of her family is collecting wood to light the fire, and preparing for the worst, she says.
The road leading to the village is still suffering from rockslides, and basic services are no longer functioning. However, the majority of residents refuse to leave their villages in which they have lived all their lives and move to other, better places.
