The deadly earthquake that struck Morocco last week has devastated the town of Amizmiz, some 56 kms from Marrakech.
Abdulrazak, a local, told Asharq Al-Awsat how his wife, maid and 22-year-old disabled son miraculously survived the quake even though it levelled his home, located in the al-Qasba neighborhood.
He recalled that he was preparing to have dinner with his wife, who said she would join him as soon as she finished prayers.
“I was about to serve the meal when I felt the house sway and one section of the roof collapse. There was dust everywhere and then the power went out and water pipes burst,” he added.
“I heard my wife scream and then nothing,” he revealed, expressing his alarm that she had been injured. He later found out that the force of the quake tossed her out of the window. She clung on to the window frame and was found by a neighbor who helped her regain her composure.
Abdulrazak said he helped drag his son from under the rubble and along with the maid, fled from the house.
“We were terrified and couldn't believe that we had survived,” he remarked.
Elsewhere in Amizmiz, a young man, Walid, stood by the levelled Montania café. An Amizmiz local, he was pursuing an education in nearby Marrakech.
He recalled how, along with his family, they were forced out of their home when the earthquake struck and spent the night outside.
He said the café was located next to their home and two people were killed when it collapsed. Two other people were saved. The patrons managed to leave the café before it was turned into rubble, he added.
He revealed that all houses near his family home were damaged in the tremor, rendering them unsafe.
He added that his mother prevented his father from returning to their home to salvage some clothes and important documents out of fear for his safety.
Walid guided Asharq Al-Awsat to the most damaged neighborhoods. “This is a complete catastrophe,” he said mournfully.
Ambulances whizzed past as Asharq Al-Awsat made its way through the town. It noted nine ambulances and a Qatari rescue team comprised of three vehicles. It also noted aid trucks and Royal Armed Forces that were helping in the rescue efforts.
