UNESCO's regional director for the Maghreb said yesterday that Friday's earthquake in Morocco caused "greater damage than expected", particularly in Marrakesh, after a visit to the affected areas.
"We can say that the damage is much greater than expected. We noticed significant cracks in the minaret of the Kutubiya [mosque], the most emblematic structure, but also the almost complete destruction of the Kharbouch minaret," in Jamaa el-Fna square, both in Marrakesh, said Eric Falt, regional director of the UNESCO office for the Maghreb, cited by the France Presse agency.
The epicenter of the earthquake was located in the Atlas Mountains, just over 60 kilometers from the country's fourth city, home to several monuments and sites inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage list. ), such as Medina, the old city, classified since 1985, where the Kutubiya minaret, from the 12th century, is at risk of collapse, and the Kharbouch minaret, from the 11th century, which collapsed.
Several sections of the city's historic walls were also damaged, as was the old Jewish quarter of Mellah, one of the most devastated areas, with the complete destruction of homes.
“After a disaster like this, the most important thing is to preserve human lives", said the head of UNESCO, quoted by the online edition of the Morocco World News newspaper, adding that "it is also necessary to immediately plan the second phase, which will include the reconstruction of schools and cultural assets affected by the earthquake.”
For the head of UNESCO, the destruction of Marrakesh's heritage will be a "long-term" challenge that will require a great effort for its reconstruction and preservation.
Today, the World Monuments Fund (WMF) also expressed solidarity with the people of Morocco, declaring that it will continue "to monitor the situation through the network in the country", and to "take the necessary measures to support the efforts of the Moroccan people" in reconstruction.
This non-governmental organization, dedicated to the preservation of architectural heritage, listed, in a statement, the places already destroyed, especially in the Medina of Marrakesh, remembering that "human lives are a priority following a catastrophe of this magnitude".
The earthquake, whose epicenter was recorded in the town of Ighil, 63 kilometers southwest of the city of Marrakesh, was felt in Portugal and Spain, reaching a magnitude of 7.0 on the Richter scale, according to the National Institute of Geophysics of Marrakech. Morocco.