So, we have all heard about what is happening around the world. Chaos, right?

Earthquakes here, floods there, it’s crazy. So, let me break down a few recent events, and list some others that happened in 2023.

Marrakech–Safi Earthquake

On September 8, 2023, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit Morocco at 6 PM Eastern Time. 19 minutes later, a 4.8 magnitude aftershock hit, and there were many others throughout the following period bringing additional destruction and misery. 

The epicenter was 44 miles south of Marrakesh. There, the area is mostly covered by the Atlas Mountains, and many villages in these mountains were completely destroyed. Marrakech was the biggest city affected by the earthquake and is in the red, or very strong effect, zone of the image above. The earthquake was also mildly felt in the big port city of Casablanca. Neighbouring countries, Algeria to the east and Portugal to the north, felt some tremors as well. According to Al Jazeera, this earthquake caused the death of nearly 3,000 people and nearly 6,000 injuries. Around 300,000 people were affected by destroyed or damaged homes. There are many images of people sitting on tarps and in tents outside of the rubble they used to call home. Reports say that nearly 19,000 homes were levelled (mostly in the mountains), while another 60,000 were damaged.

China Floods

This is another case of floods, over the summer of 2023, where huge typhoons and rainfall began in northeastern China. Beijing experienced some of the highest rainfall in 140 years. The typical monsoon season looked like nothing as the huge waterfall caused mudslides and flash floods, and, when Typhoon Saola hit on September 2, around 880,000 people were displaced from their homes. By September 12th, 1,300 residents had been trapped by the many landslides, and a registered 7 people have been announced dead. The number is much less since it was a previously known storm that had been prepared for, unlike the dam break in the Libyan Floods.

Other notable incidents include the North American Wildfires, the Algerian Wildfires, and Cyclone Mocha in Bangladesh.

That’s a lot. Let’s keep them in our minds, and find any ways to help them if we can. Search for trusted organizations that support these causes and make sure to donate to them (if you are able to) so they can help these people in need.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

References