Israelis caught up in Morocco earthquake
Israel's Foreign Ministry said Saturday night that it had accounted for all 479 Israeli citizens that it knew of in Morocco, and that there were no reports of any casualties among them.
(TIMES OF ISRAEL) – An Israeli family that travelled to Morocco on a heritage trip to memorialise 10 close relatives killed there in an earthquake in 1960 found themselves reliving the tragic past when they were themselves caught in the deadly tremor last Friday that killed over 2000 people.
The magnitude 6.8 quake on Friday was the biggest to hit the North African country in 120 years.
“I can’t explain to myself how something like this happens,” Jacqueline Bouskila Twizer from Rishon Lezion told the Ynet outlet on Saturday.
“It doesn’t just give me chills, but heart palpitations. I’m still moved by everything that’s happening here.”
Bouskila Twizer said that on February 29, 1960, ten members of her family – three uncles and seven young cousins – were killed in an earthquake that hit the city of Agadir, Morocco.
Friday’s quake devastated areas across Morocco, including in Marrakesh, means the family can no longer make the trip to Agadir.
“I wasn’t so anxious about the incident yesterday but remembering our family tragedy is hard,” Bouskila Twizer said.
She said the siblings were staying at a Club Med resort in Marrakesh when the earthquake hit.
“Suddenly we hear a loud noise,” Bouskila Twizer said. “I thought it was a Club Med stunt – sometimes they do pyrotechnics. And suddenly I saw people running. I pulled all my brothers [together], we left the indoor building and came to the pool area.”
None of the family members were hurt in Friday’s quake.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry said Saturday night that it had accounted for all 479 Israeli citizens that it knew of in Morocco, and that there were no reports of any casualties among them.
A Foreign Ministry delegation was set to fly to Morocco on Sunday to assist the local embassy in Rabat in bringing Israeli nationals back home.
In Israel, the military and other bodies, including Magen David Adom emergency responders and the IsraAID organisation, prepared rescue teams to set off for the North African country to assist but Morocco had yet to accept their offers as of earlier this week.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Yossi Zilberman told The Times of Israel that MASHAV, the ministry’s international aid arm, had prepared a number of alternatives for humanitarian aid shipments depending on the specific needs of the kingdom.
The aid could include food, medicines, medical equipment, tents, water purifiers and more, but the specifics depend on Rabat’s needs. From the minute Israel gets the requests, it would take only a few hours before a plane is ready to depart, said Zilberman.
In addition to the humanitarian route, Israel was ready to provide search-and-rescue teams through the IDF, but rescuing quake victims will only be relevant for a few more days.
The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) is partnering with the Jewish community of Morocco to provide immediate relief – including food, medicine, temporary shelter and medical support.
Meanwhile, Israel’s State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman warned on Sunday that Israel has failed in its efforts to prepare for a major earthquake.
The ombudsman said the quake in Morocco and a massive earthquake that killed more than 50,000 in Turkey and Syria earlier this year were a “painful reminder” of Israel’s need to ready for major seismic activity.
He also noted a report he issued in March that found 93 per cent of at-risk buildings in northern Israel would collapse if a strong earthquake hits, and that 30 per cent of earmarked schools had yet to be renovated.
“Instead of waiting for a commission of inquiry after a tragedy has occurred, the Prime Minister and the relevant minister must correct the deficiencies immediately,” he said.
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