Morocco and Libya: How you can help earthquake and flood victims

Rescue teams in Libya and Morocco are in a race against time to save victims after the natural disasters that struck the two North African countries in the past four days. 

Morocco’s Atlas mountains were hit by a devastating 6.8-magnitude earthquake on Friday night that has so far killed over 2,900 people and left thousands more injured.

Just days later in eastern Libya, entire neighbourhoods were submerged after Storm Daniel swept through the country on Sunday. 

The death toll is estimated to be in the thousands, and at least 10,000 people are reported missing, according to the Red Crescent. About 25 percent of the Libyan city of Derna is wiped out, said Hichem Chkiouat, Benghazi's minister of civil aviation.

While rescue teams from several countries have been deployed to join Moroccan operations on the ground, rescuers have struggled to reach remote villages in the Atlas mountains region due to damaged roads.

Charities and humanitarian organisations have launched emergency aid packages and relief funds for Morocco and Libya. 

To stay alive, earthquake survivors need access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation services as a priority.

The 72-hour period following a natural disaster is critical for finding survivors. While Morocco has passed this mark since the earthquake first struck, the death toll in Libya continues to climb even within this timeframe. Search and rescue operations in both the disaster-affected areas are ongoing.

These are just a few of the organisations that are operating on the ground and accepting donations:

Libya Floods

Islamic Relief 

Thousands of people have lost their lives and tens of thousands are missing, and the country is in a state of extreme emergency. Hundreds of homes have been destroyed so far, leaving many families highly vulnerable. 

Islamic Relief is closely monitoring the situation and will be partnering with local humanitarian organisations to deliver aid to affected communities. 

When an emergency strikes, Islamic Relief aims to be the first on the ground, providing emergency relief and helping those affected immediately. It has extensive experience responding to disasters around the world, and it helped over 1 million people affected by the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria in February 2023.

You can donate to Islamic Relief here

British Red Cross 

In response to the catastrophic flooding in Libya, British Red Cross has launched an emergency appeal to support the people affected. People are in desperate need of help.

The Libyan Red Crescent is helping deliver vital aid to people in the flooded areas and is supporting with rescue efforts, including first aid and medical assistance, assisting with rescue, evacuating families and the provision of food, water and emergency shelter kits. 

You can donate to the British Red Cross here 

Unicef

Unicef says over 660,000 people are affected by the devastation in Libya. When an emergency like the Libya floods strikes, every minute counts and your donation can make all the difference.

Unicef is on the ground, mobilising essential life-saving supplies. So far it has delivered vital medical supplies for 10,000 people, hygiene kits for 1,100 people, and essential clothing kits for 500 children. But the need is immense.

You can donate to Unicef’s urgent appeal for Libya here

Libya in the UK 

Libyans in the UK have come together to gather donations that will contribute to the provision of necessary aid resources to those in the affected areas. The resources collected will be distributed through local humanitarian organisations.

They are working closely with the Red Crescent. Their response will include the provision of food, non-food items and emergency shelter to those most in need.

You can donate to their Libya Emergency Appeal here 

Muslim Aid UK 

Storm Daniel has caused catastrophic flooding in eastern Libya. It is feared that the death toll will soar as thousands are still reported missing. Muslim Aid UK is on the ground assessing the situation and will respond according to the needs of those affected as soon as possible. 

Muslim Aid has been delivering humanitarian aid across the world for over 35 years. 

You can donate to Muslim Aid UK here

Morocco Earthquake

Islamic Relief 

Islamic Relief has launched a major £10m emergency appeal to provide aid to survivors of the devastating earthquake in Morocco.

They will be working through local humanitarian organisations on the ground to deliver vital aid.

Blocked roads are preventing ambulances from reaching the injured, and while officials are scrambling to clear debris, rescue and relief efforts are difficult amid the mountainous terrain, risk of landslides, and large distances.

You can donate to Islamic Relief here

Action For Humanity 

Action For Humanity has launched a £5m appeal in response to the recent earthquake in Morocco. This initiative aims to provide immediate assistance, support the recovery and reconstruction of affected areas, and alleviate the suffering of earthquake survivors.

Action For Humanity has mobilised a specialised emergency response team to provide immediate aid in Marrakech and surrounding affected areas. It will offer real-time updates on the situation on the ground, ensuring transparency on how your donations are directly saving lives.

You can donate to Action For Humanity here

Human Appeal 

In these darkest hours, Human Appeal says it is standing in solidarity with the people of Morocco.

“We are working tirelessly with our partners on the ground to deliver essential aid to the communities affected by this tragic earthquake.”

Drawing from its 32+ years of experience and over five years of strong partnerships in Morocco, it is determined to save lives and provide hope to those in need.

You can donate to Human Appeal here

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

The Moroccan Red Crescent Society (MRCS) says it responded immediately to the earthquake, with volunteers providing life-saving first aid and psychosocial support, helping transport the injured to hospitals, evacuating people from damaged buildings and providing dignified burial management. 

Through this appeal, the IFRC is supporting MRCS to meet the immediate humanitarian needs of affected people, while also planning for longer-term recovery.

You can donate to the International Federation of Red Cross here 

GlobalGiving 

GlobalGiving has been responding to disasters and supporting emergency aid and long-term relief programmes since 2004. It has facilitated more than $225m in disaster donations to funds just like this. 

All donations to this fund will support Morocco earthquake relief and recovery efforts. Initially, the fund will help meet survivors' immediate needs for food, fuel, clean water, medicine and shelter. The fund will then transition to focus on recovery efforts led by local, vetted organisations in the impacted areas to restore damaged homes, rebuild infrastructure, and more as needs evolve. 

You can donate to GlobalGiving here 

Unicef 

In an emergency, children are always among the most vulnerable. Families have lost their homes and are in urgent need of shelter, safe water and medical care. Our team in Morocco is mobilised and ready to support children and their families.

They aim to reach children affected by disasters like the Morocco earthquake and are appealing for donations to their Children’s Emergency Fund.

You can donate to Unicef here