On Friday night, a 6.8- to 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck the Moroccan High Atlas Mountains, which is about 45 miles southwest of Marrakesh. As NBC News reports, at the time of this writing there are at least 2,122 known fatalities and 2,421 injured.
The United Nations says 300,000 people in the country have been affected, with those in the quake-stuck zones sleeping outside for the last three nights for fear that aftershocks could bring down more structures. One of the big problems was that the worst of the shocks took place in remote mountain areas where villages are hard to reach, which aid workers are focusing on now.
Here are eight ways you can help the victims of the Morocco earthquake:
- Moroccan Red Crescent teams were among the first to respond in the aftermath of the quake. The Moroccan Red Crescent is part of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). You can donate to the IFRC here.
- GlobalGiving has set up a Morocco Earthquake Relief Fund. GlobalGiving works with local nonprofits to help meet the needs of victims. Initial funds donated through its fund will go to meet survivors’ immediate needs, including food, fuel, clean water, medicine, and shelter. After that, the funds will be used by locally vetted organizations to restore damaged homes and rebuild infrastructure.
- CARE has set up a donations page for the victims of the quake. Funds raised will help provide emergency water, food, shelter, and medical support to those impacted. CARE says its emergency response will prioritize women and girls, youth, and disadvantaged groups.
- UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, has a general donation page set up highlighting the Moroccan quake. You can donate a onetime sum or make your donation a recurring monthly one.
- Doctors Without Borders is on the ground in the quake-stuck zone to provide support to those who need it. You can donate to the organization in a onetime or monthly capacity. Donations go to the organization as a whole, which carries out lifesaving medical work for those in need around the world.
- GoFundMe: The crowdfunding site has set up a dedicated page with verified campaigns that are raising money. Find it here.
- Project HOPE: Project HOPE is assisting local search and rescue operations who have deployed ambulances, emergency health workers, and a surgical rescue unit. You can make a onetime or monthly donation here.
- GiveDirectly: Unlike other funds that seek monies to buy supplies and necessities for victims, GiveDirectly donates cash directly to those affected so the individual can decide how to use it – whether it’s for food, paying for temporary shelter, or something else. You can donate to GiveDirectly here.
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