Following a terrible earthquake that killed more than 1,000 people overnight, Morocco on Saturday proclaimed three days of national mourning, according to a statement from the royal palace.
After King Mohammed VI presided over a conference to discuss the catastrophe, a statement was released by the official MAP news agency. “Three days of national mourning have been decided, with flags to fly at half-mast on all public buildings,” the statement said.
The gathering was called following Friday night’s deadly earthquake, which struck southwest of Marrakesh, a popular tourist destination in North Africa, killing at least 1,305 people and gravely wounding 1,832.
The king gave the go-ahead for the creation of a commission that would be in charge of the deployment of an emergency rehabilitation and aid program on rebuilding destroyed housing in disaster areas and “the care of distressed people, particularly orphans and the vulnerable,” after receiving a briefing from officials.
He also directed the formation of a special account at the central bank for assistance donations and the provision of “accommodation, food, and all other basic needs” for those who required it.
