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Merzouga Area,
Morocco
Information and appeal for disaster flooding in
Merzouga Area
Erg Chebbie Dunes
in the Sahara Desert, Morocco and the villages of
Merzouga and Hassi Lybed Lcal Berbers are the
indigenous poor folks of the Sahara Desert
The night of May 26,
there were severe thunder storms, hail the size
of golf balls,
a lot of rain and wind which caused severe flooding
in the area.
Most of the damage was in Merzouga as all the
waters hit the mud houses
and destroyed over 250 houses. In Hassilybed, the
river also destroyed
many houses along the river bed. In the north of
the dunes where
there are some little hotels. Several were
destroyed and the only
deaths- three- were in
one of those hotels. Thanks
to the quick response of the government-the same
night- there were no
deaths in Merzouga or Hassilybed. Many folks had to
be rescued by helicopter
as they were trapped by the rivers in Merzouga and
others were encouraged
to leave before the waters approached
Merzouga.
Many hotels were
partially or completely destroyed but the emphasis
of my appeal is for help for the local folks. The
government has set up 150 tents in Merzouga and 30
in Hassilybed with about 6-8 people in each tent.
The tents are 4 x 4 yards and are plastic. Rugs on
the floor and bottled water to drink. Blankets,
bread and sardines are provided. They are lucky to
go eat in the houses of others who still have
houses intact. There are no sanitary provisions-
they cope as they are nomad origin and use the
desert for toilets.
In Merzouga, there
are about 250 families who ran from their houses
with only their clothes on their back, with a
lesser number in Hassilybed.
FOR A CONTINUATION
OF THIS STORY ... AND HOW YOU CAN GET
INVOLVED
http://www.bluemenofmorocco.co.nr/
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