Assahafa.com
The operation to clear the rubble of the demolished homes in the province of Al Haouz following the earthquake of September 8, 2023 is almost complete thanks to the efficiency and speed demonstrated by local authorities and all stakeholders despite rugged terrains.
In implementation of the High Royal Instructions, all stakeholders are stepping up the reconstruction operation in the Al Haouz province and the various areas affected by this natural disaster. Several adequate and appropriate solutions are being implemented on the ground to address critical cases.
In this context, Youssef Ouardouni, the provincial director of Equipment and Water in Al Haouz, told MAP that the clearing operation has reached its final phase, stressing that great efforts have been made to this end. He noted, in this regard, that more than 23,360 houses have been demolished and that the rubble removal rate stands at 99% in the province.
Ouardouni said this operation has encountered some difficulties related to the dispersion of villages, the scattering of homes and the need to remove rubble to facilitate access to these localities.
At the beginning, eight classified roads were opened, as well as thirty-five unclassified roads in rural areas, he pointed out, adding that this operation allowed the delivery of aid and the evacuation of the injured.
“The Provincial Equipment Directorate services also managed to reopen Road N.7, considered the main artery of this province, and which experienced significant rockfalls,” he added.
In this regard, Ouardouni welcomed the efforts of all stakeholders, provincial authorities, external services and local authorities, which made it possible to overcome all the difficulties encountered.
As part of the emergency program, he said, the Equipment Ministry has committed to launching the construction of two sections of national road No. 7, which was achieved on June 24, specifying that the duration of execution of this project initially set at 18 months, will be shortened.
This road connects four rural municipalities, namely Ouirgane, Imigdal, Ijoukak and Tlat N’Yacoub. Once works are completed, the interconnection between these municipalities will be resilient to climate change and natural disasters, he stressed.
The construction of the other sections is in the study phase to connect Al Haouz and Taroudant in order to reduce driving times and to promote economic, social and tourist development in the region.
For his part, Anas Al Basraoui, head of the equipment department in the province of Al Haouz, pointed out that more than 23,360 houses have been demolished out of a total of 23,500, while the progress rate of works is around 99%, thanks to the efforts of the Equipment Directorate and the Interior Ministry, despite the difficult terrain in some cases.
The reconstruction operation started immediately after the removal of the rubble and the delivery of the necessary authorizations, he noted, adding that this operation begins with the digging of the foundations, the construction of the structure, the front facades and the roof.
“The number of foundations already dug has reached 11,000, which represents 47% of the overall number of houses, while 1,000 housing units have been delivered out of 23,500 houses, or 5% of the overall number of housing units,” he explained. This number and this area are equivalent to 1,600,000 m2, he noted, adding that efforts are continuing to complete this operation as soon as possible.
“As the Public Laboratory for Trials and Studies (LPEE), we began an operation to determine the condition of damaged structures right after the Al Haouz earthquake. We have thus identified the buildings that must be demolished and those that must be rehabilitated,” Oussama Aabibou, engineer at LPEE and head of the Al Haouz earthquake dossier, said.
“We have also carried out technical works, identifying villages in which construction is possible or not, according to strict conditions,” he recalled.
“To date, the Laboratory has checked more than 10,000 foundations dug by citizens whose homes were damaged, and has given approval for the start of construction works, which are continuing up to date. We have also identified about 2,000 houses requiring only rehabilitation,” noted Aabibou.
He added that “the reconstruction operation faces many obstacles, including the uneven terrain and roads leading to the villages, the difficulty of finding labor due to the simultaneous start of works in the province of Al Haouz, as well as the difficulty of transporting construction materials.”
It is certain that the effects of the September 8 earthquake are fading in many rural communities and in the most affected areas in the province of Al Haouz, as evidenced by the concrete construction works spreading in the four corners of the province, which denotes the determination of the inhabitants to turn this painful page with great hope and optimism.
Source: map
