earthquake Archives - GlobalMedic

Morocco Earthquake Response 2023

Around 11pm local time on September 8, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck the High Atlas mountain range, 72 km southwest of Marrakech, Morocco, a city home to 840,000 people. The quake was followed by a 4.9 magnitude aftershock. This was the biggest earthquake felt in the region. Extensive damage was reported with buildings collapsed and critical infrastructure severely damaged; the death toll was over 2,900.

Approximately 450,000 individuals were believed to have been internally displaced. Relief operations successfully restored crucial pathways, notably in the Ighil region of Al Haouz province. However, concerns persisted regarding road access, particularly in remote locales. This was exacerbated by worsening road conditions and potential weather-related obstacles. By the end of September, primary routes in Al Haouz had been reinstated, but obstacles like traffic congestion and flight limitations persisted, impeding relief endeavours.

2,900+ KILLED

6.8 M EARTHQUAKE

2,500 INJURED

GlobalMedic immediately deployed our Rapid Response Team (RRT) with 4 AquaResponse3 Water Purification Systems to Morocco. Following an earthquake of this magnitude, access to basic supplies becomes nearly impossible. This includes clean drinking water, with damage from the earthquake disrupting existing infrastructure such as water reservoirs. The AR3s are point-of-source water filtration devices that can provide clean drinking water to support over 2,000 people every day. These units were installed at central locations like feeding centres and health clinics to ensure that the water being consumed at these sites was safe to drink.

GlobalMedic’s Rapid Response Team also worked with local partners to run a hot meal program. In the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, we took over a local cafe and produced meals daily to provide to people who were affected. Every day we were able to feed hundreds of people, ensuring they stay fed and healthy. We distributed over 27,600 meals through this program.

We then began distributing pantry food hampers and fresh vegetables. All of these food items were locally sourced and traditionally found in Moroccan cuisine. The ingredients could be prepared at the families discretion and helped stock the pantries of those affected by the earthquake. We distributed 7,262 food hampers and 8 tonnes of fresh vegetables to those affected by the earthquake.

After a crisis, families face many challenges. One of the tools GlobalMedic uses to support families are our Family Emergency Kits. These kits have been designed as a holistic solution to solve multiple needs faced by families in crisis. One of the biggest risks that vulnerable communities face in the wake of disasters is waterborne illness. This is caused by the disruption of safe drinking water sources, forcing individuals to retrieve their water through untreated and potentially contaminated sources. Waterborne illnesses like cholera and typhoid can be detrimental to a family’s health and are often deadly. We also worked to distribut 2,700 Family Emergency Kits to families in need.

GlobalMedic also shipped an Alaska tent, which is a military grade mobile structure which can be built in hours and functions in a permanent capacity. It can be used as a mobile medical clinic, a storage facility, or a temporary accommodation. The facility was turned into a classroom in Ouchfilene, a mountain village south of Marrakech. This was put together with help from our Partners El Baraka Angels. This served teachers and students whose schools were damaged or destroyed by the earthquake. We also worked to distribute smaller tents to be used for shelter, distributing 2,000 in total.

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Earthquake Response 2023

Early in the morning on February 6, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkiye and northwest Syria causing massive damage. Later that day a second earthquake of 7.5 magnitude struck the region, increasing the level of impact.

At least 45,900 deaths and 108,000 injuries were confirmed by the Government of Turkiye and close to 160,000 buildings collapsed or were badly damaged. The government issued a Level 4 alarm calling for international assistance.

More than 7,200 deaths and 10,000 injuries were reported in northwest Syria. At least 8.8 million people were affected in Syria, the majority of whom relied on humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs prior to the earthquake. This is an extremely vulnerable population and this emergency added tremendous pressure to an already overstretched response.

50,000+ DEAD

7.8 M EARTHQUAKE

23M+ AFFECTED

GlobalMedic quickly mobilized our resources to respond. We deployed our Rapid Response Team to Turkiye in early February to begin conducting needs assessments and connecting with our local partners. The teams carried in 9 AquaResponse3 Water Purification Systems and 1 AquaResponse10 Water Purification System. We also worked to procure 35 locally made systems with the same specifications. These point-of-source water purification units can support over 2,000 people each day. The units can be installed in hospitals or other public community areas and can be operated with generators to provide clean drinking water to a large number of people. This response is critical to safeguard the health of affected families and eliminate the risk of waterborne disease outbreak.

The teams worked to install these systems in a number of locations including at World Central Kitchen sites. These WCK sites were feeding thousands of people a day and the installation of our AR systems allowed them to ensure that all water used to prepare food and consume at the site is clean and safe. Additionally, the teams installed units at multiple medical clinics where it is key for clean water to be accessible at all times. We also installed units across Hatay, one of the hardest hit areas, to provide clean drinking water for rural communities since their potable water sources had been disrupted.

Some of the primary needs identified by our teams were access to food, hygiene items and underwear. Many people who were displaced from their homes were living in temporary or makeshift accommodations and did not have access to these basic needs. We purchased 4,252 food hampers, 6,850 hygiene kits, 8,600+ additional hygiene items, and 14,500 pieces of underwear which have been distributed in the Hatay region.

Due to the makeshift living conditions in which so many people were living, firewood was initially something that was key to maintain access to. February and early March temperatures were low and we procured and distributed 20 tons of firewood to allow families to keep themselves warm. Close proximity living combined with minimal access to hygiene supplies has resulted in the rampant spread of lice and scabies. GlobalMedic distributed lice shampoo and ointment to help treat bites and prevent further spread.

GlobalMedic also launched a response for Syria, where immense devastation also occurred. We procured 12 locally made water purification systems with the same specifications as our AquaResponse systems. We trained our local partners on the operation and maintenance of these systems so that they could install them in areas of most need.

Our volunteers in Canada prepared Family Emergency Kits and Emergency Food Kits to ship and distribute to affected families. Family Emergency Kits are designed to help families address the critical issues that they face in the wake of disaster. Each Family Emergency Kit contains a Point of Use Water Purification Solution, and essential hygiene items. These kits can provide an entire family with safe, clean drinking water and help to keep families clean and healthy, which can prevent further illness. They also contain solar lights. Emergency Food Kits contain a mixture of culturally appropriate pantry items to supplement a families’ diet. We are also adding in water purification tablets and solar lights to the food kits to provide additional resources to affected families. We have shipped 9,440 Emergency Food Kits and 4,320 Family Emergency Kits to our partners for Syria.

Haiti Earthquake Response 2021

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On August 14, at 8:29 ET Haiti was hit by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake that caused widespread destruction in the Sud, Grand’Anse, Nippes, & Nord-Oues Departments. Only two days later, Tropical Depression Grace passed through the country, adding landslides and flooding to the initial damage. Hundreds of aftershocks continued throughout August and September, posing even more risks to an already vulnerable population. More than 60 health facilities were damaged across the most affected departments, and 171 school buildings were completely completely destroyed, representing roughly 16 per cent of all schools in these areas. At least 83,770 homes suffered varying degrees of damage and 53,815 were completely destroyed. An estimated 2,200 people were declared dead and 329 were missing following the disaster.

Haiti has been in an ongoing state of recovery since the 2010 earthquake recovery that has already been hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent assassination of the president.

There is an urgent need for fresh water as thousands of Haitians have been displaced and many homes have been left without electricity and water. This need is compounded by the elevated risks of waterborne diseases such as cholera as well as the potential spread of COVID. Food insecurity is also a critical issue – prior to the earthquake, an estimated 4 million people were already food-insecure and at risk of hunger in Haiti. The earthquake has increased the number of people experiencing food insecurity and worsened the conditions for those already food insecure.

Rapid Response Team members and local partners loading aid into a truck to be moved to the disaster zone

Rapid Response Team members setting up an AR3 water purification system

800,000+ PEOPLE AFFECTED

650,000+ IN NEED OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

100,000+ DAMAGED & DESTROYED HOMES

GlobalMedic sent prepositioned aid prior to the earthquake, including 1,600 of Family Emergency Kits, each with enough Procter & Gamble Purifier of Water Sachets to purify 2,400 litres of water. An additional 720 Family Emergency Kits were packed with Imerys Household Water Purification Units, a compact and easy-to-use system that provides families with access to clean drinking water. All of the Family Emergency Kits contained essential hygiene items such as soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste as well as solar lights. This prepositioning allowed our partner, World Vision, to immediately distribute a total of 2,320 Family Emergency Kits to families in need of fresh water.

Shortly after the earthquake, we deployed our Rapid Response Team to bring in 6 AquaResponse3 Water Purification Systems. The team collaborated with GlobalMedic’s local partners to ensure that the Water Purification Systems were put into use right away.

Volunteers in Canada assembled 400 Emergency Food Kits which were sent to Haiti by air. The kits contain dried staple foods, such as rice, pasta, green peas, corn meal, kidney beans and pigeon peas. Our local partners are in the process of distributing essential food items to families that need them most.

Following this initial response, we sent an additional 960 Emergency Food Kits, 6,433 Family Emergency Kits, 2,600,000 Aquatabs and 86,400 Oral Rehydration Salt sachets.

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