More than 72 hours after the devastating earthquake that shook Morocco, the king, Mohamed VI, went this Tuesday to visit the wounded admitted to the Marrakech University Hospital that bears his name.
It was his first public appearance on the ground since an earthquake measuring 7 on the Richter scale shook several provinces in the country on Friday, causing almost 3,000 deaths and more than 5,000 injuries.
The gesture was longed for after several days of silence on the part of the monarch. Since the tragedy broke out, Mohamed VI took hours to react, unleashing all kinds of speculation. Finally, on Saturday, local media reported that he chaired an emergency meeting where he ordered the deployment of the Armed Forces to the areas affected by the earthquake, especially the provinces of Marrakech, El Houz and Taroudant.
Mohamed VI dedicated 20 minutes to the wounded at the Marrakech hospital, after arriving in a large security delegation made up of more than 40 vehicles and motorcyclists. He visited the intensive care unit and the unit where the earthquake victims are admitted. There, the Alawite sovereign was informed of the state of health of the wounded and the care they were receiving from the medical teams, reports the official media outlet Le Matin. Upon leaving the hospital, he extended his hand to the people who had gathered to see him, before leaving again.
The absence of the king had caught the attention of the population, who demanded a gesture from their authorities. According to information from several media outlets, Mohamed VI was on a private visit in Paris when the tragic landslide occurred. Some in Morocco speculate that he was being treated for his ailments in a clinic.
Equally striking is the disappearance from the scene of the Prime Minister, Aziz Ajanouch. The head of the Government only issued a statement of condolences on Sunday, while yesterday Monday he announced aid for the reconstruction of homes destroyed by the earthquake. In the towns affected by the wrath of nature, more actions were demanded from the authorities, but also a gesture of consolation by showing up at ground zero.
“We need tents, blankets, food, but the most important thing would have been words of comfort and support from the Moroccan Government,” complained Samira, one of the neighbors who has been left homeless in the town of Mulay Ibrahim, in the High Atlas. “All our politicians are asleep while we are on the street,” criticized Yasin Numghara.
It is said in Morocco that Achanuch was at a private party in Agadir on Friday night, where he danced until late into the night. Achanuch is the second fortune of Morocco, after the king. Owner of the most important companies in the country, Mohamed VI is estimated to have a fortune valued at 5 billion dollars. Forbes places him as the fifth richest person in all of Africa.
In the areas affected by the earthquake, troops from the Cherifian Phosphate Office (OCP) have been deployed to distribute food and tents to the most vulnerable. The OCP group is the main exporter of phosphates in the world, owned by the Royal Family. It is the closest to their king that the victims of the catastrophic shock have been.