In September 2023, a powerful earthquake struck Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains, killing nearly 3,000 people and destroying much of the rural province of Al Haouz. Two years later, the country’s reconstruction effort continues at a measured pace. A recent operational update from the Moroccan Red Crescent Society (MRCS) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) provides the clearest picture yet of how recovery has progressed—and where it still lags.
Continuing Housing Shortages
The assessment finds that about 60,000 people have received shelter-related assistance, but most damaged homes still need rebuilding. Roughly three-quarters of affected dwellings required complete reconstruction or major repair, and by mid-2025 only around 12 percent of that work was close to completion. Many families remain in temporary structures as government-led rebuilding programs prioritize heavily populated areas first. Geographic isolation and limited road access continue to slow the delivery of materials and oversight in mountain villages.
Cash Assistance Gains Ground
Since late 2023, MRCS has distributed about 12.6 million Moroccan dirhams (roughly $1.2 million) in multipurpose cash support through pilot, winter, and Ramadan programs that reached nearly 4,800 households. Surveys show that more than 90 percent of participants prefer direct cash to food or goods, citing flexibility and speed. Future rounds are expected to link cash transfers more closely to housing repair and livelihood recovery.
Community engagement has become a central feature of the Red Crescent’s work. Awareness of how to provide feedback rose from 39 percent to 52 percent over the past year, according to the report, with residents mainly favoring in-person contact. The organization logged more than 12,000 comments and questions from affected people since the operation began, using them to adjust aid distribution and improve transparency. The MRCS has developed new monitoring and evaluation systems, standardized data collection, and introduced real-time reviews to measure effectiveness. These changes aim to leave behind stronger local capacity long after the international response winds down. A final external evaluation is planned for the end of 2026.
Livelihoods and Long-Term Resilience
Beyond emergency relief, a new Livelihoods and Resilience Strategy is being drafted to support small businesses, agriculture, and training programs in the affected provinces. The goal, officials say, is to reduce dependence on aid and embed disaster-risk management within community development plans.
The IFRC describes the operation as moving from relief to recovery, but notes persistent challenges: slow housing reconstruction, uneven support for remote populations, and the need to sustain momentum once international funding subsides. Overall, Morocco’s earthquake response has reached tens of thousands of people and strengthened the country’s humanitarian infrastructure, yet rebuilding the mountain communities most affected will remain a multiyear task.
