1960 Agadir earthquake
Coordinates: 30 ° 25 ′ N , 9 ° 35 ′ W
The Agadir earthquake on February 29, 1960 was the worst natural disaster in the history of Morocco, killing around 15,000 people . In the earthquake , the port city of Agadir was almost completely destroyed.
The catastrophe
Before the disaster, Agadir had a population of around 50,000. Although the nearby Spanish settlement of Santa Cruz de Aguer was already wiped out by a comparable earthquake in 1731 , the region was considered "earthquake-proof". On the evening of February 29, 1960, the residents of Agadir celebrated the third evening of Ramadan . After several light tremors in the previous week and a more severe tremor in the morning, the main earthquake occurred at 11:41 pm. The quake lasted less than 15 seconds and, at M W 5.7, had a low magnitude compared to other severe earthquake disasters . But since its center was directly under the city, which is over 400 years old, the effect was devastating. With up to 15,000 people, nearly a third of the city's population was killed. 12,000 residents suffered injuries. Approx. 35,000 people, almost all of the survivors, lost their homes.
On the following day of the quake, King Mohammed V visited the disaster area and commissioned the heir to the throne, Prince Moulay Hassan, to lead the rescue measures. Over the next two days, the survivors were evacuated to prevent disease outbreaks.
The first international aid workers were naval forces stationed in Agadir from the former colonial power France . Spain was also able to quickly provide support from nearby bases in what was then Spanish West Africa . Since the USA also had bases in Morocco at the time of the disaster, the Americans were able to set up an airlift to their bases in Germany in a short time and effectively support the rescue and relief measures with massive people and material transports. In addition to many other nations, Germany also used military units in the relief mission, which was one of the Bundeswehr's first missions abroad .
reconstruction
A new city was built south of the destroyed old settlement with international help. Only sparse remains of the old structure have been preserved. Agadir is now a large city with more than 600,000 inhabitants.
See also
Web links
- Historical Earthquakes - Agadir - Report of the United States Geological Survey ( Eng. )
- 1960: Thousands dead in Moroccan earthquake - contemporary original BBC report (engl.)
- Images of the devastation (Engl.)