Tens of thousands of Moroccans still homeless a year after earthquake

A year after a 6.8 magnitude earthquake ripped through Morocco killing almost 3000 people, injuring more than 5500 and causing massive destruction, many Moroccans still find themselves without a home.  

Government data shows only 1000 homes out of 55,000 under construction have been rebuilt, Reuters reports. Tens of thousands of people, predominantly from remote hillsides villages in the High Atlas region, continue to live in tents.

"Life has been hard in the tent, between the freezing cold of winter and the stifling heat of summer," Yassine, a mother of three, whose house is still awaiting reconstruction, told the AFP. 

The living conditions prompted some locals from the quake’s epicenter of Talat N Yacoub to protest the slow progress last week. They reportedly demanded more transparency in aid distribution and investment in the area’s infrastructure.  

The government gave many families an initial payout of around $2000. The prime minister’s office said in a statement more than 63,000 families hit by the earthquake are currently also receiving a monthly payment of 2500 dirhams ($255), Reuters reports. 

Overall, the government expects to spend $12 billion over the next five years on reconstruction including infrastructure upgrades.