Marrakech, a popular tourist destination in Morocco, was hit by a rare earthquake on December 3 2020. The magnitude 6.5 quake caused destruction to centuries-old sites within the city, but it did not inflict major damage upon the modern city infrastructure.
The earthquake’s epicenter was located in the city’s ancient walled area, which was significantly impacted by the destruction of the quake. According to news reports, some 800 thousand people felt the strong shaking, as it was felt as far away as Spain and Algeria.
In Marrakech, the quake caused extensive damage to many of the city’s historical sites, such as the 424-year-old Ecija Palace and the Borj Avenue Mosque, which is the last surviving part of the old city walls. Fortunately, many of the precious artifacts and art within the buildings survived the tremblor.
The tremors were so strong, that many modern buildings in Marrakech, both big and small, were visibly shaken and could be heard from as far away as the city’s airport. In spite of all this, none of them suffered any major destruction.
The city’s modern infrastructure also made it through unscathed. The electricity, water, and telecommunications networks continued to operate normally throughout the event which was seen as a miracle by some.
Since then, seismic engineers and resilience experts have come together to assess the effects of the earthquake and determine the city’s resilience needs moving forward. They have made several recommendations for strengthening the built environment in order to protect vulnerable heritage sites in the future.
The Morocco Ministry of Culture has said that they will be working hard to restore all the historic sites by the end of this year. A process which will not only revitalize the city but also restore its sense of pride and historic significance.
Although the earthquake left a lot of damage in its wake, it also highlighted the great resilience of the city of Marrakech. It also revealed how the city was able to withstand the shaking and remain relatively unharmed, thanks to its modern infrastructure and the fortitude of its locals.