New earthquake hits Morocco, with PTSD stronger than the tremors

A few minutes before midnight, a 5.2-magnitude earthquake rattled northern Morocco on Monday, sending tremors as far as the capital, Rabat. Fear spread quickly, dredging up traumatic memories of death and destruction from the 2023 Atlas earthquake.  

This time, the epicentre was recorded in the Brikcha commune, within the province of Ouazzane—a northern city nestled in mountains far less rugged than the Atlas.  

“I was almost asleep when I felt the ground shaking beneath me. I ran outside and tried to wake up my neighbours”, said Aicha Khayi, a resident of Brikcha.  

Khayi said she was terrified of being buried under the rubble, of losing people she knew—just as she had in September 2023, when distant relatives in the Atlas died.  

Brikcha, a rural, mountainous commune in the Mokrisset district of Ouazzane province, is home to 25 villages and around 9,400 residents.

Unlike the Atlas, where isolated villages are linked to cities by precarious roads that crumbled after the last quake, Brikcha is easier to navigate. Its roads are more accessible and its villages less remote.  

“There won’t be destruction like in Al-Haouz. Some old buildings have developed cracks, but nothing major”, said Nasser Jabour, head of the National Institute of Geophysics, which is part of the National Centre for Scientific and Technical Research.

He explained that Brikcha’s geography and the strength of Monday’s quake made a disaster unlikely.  

According to local authorities cited by the Maghreb Arab Press (MAP), the earthquake caused no casualties or significant damage.

During the few hours after the quake, local authorities advised residents near the epicentre to stay outside until they could assess the risk of aftershocks.  

Still, the fear spread beyond Brikcha. From Tangier to Rabat, people fled their homes, some clutching their most precious belongings, others frantically calling loved ones in the affected area.  

“Last time, we didn’t know anything until morning. I lost relatives in the Al-Haouz earthquake”, said Mohamed El-Wardi, a resident of Kenitra, 200 kilometres from the epicentre.

“Thank God for everything, but we can’t handle more loss and trauma,” he added.  

Beside him, an elderly woman recited Quranic verses. Others gathered around, whispering prayers for their families’ safety.  

Across multiple cities, residents stayed outside in the cold, too afraid to sleep under their own roofs. The images of the September earthquake—crushed homes, unclaimed bodies, entire villages still waiting for reconstruction—were enough to keep thousands awake.  

“The fear and distress after yesterday’s earthquake are linked to many Moroccans’ past experiences with the Al-Haouz disaster”, said Souhail Abounaim, a member of Psychologues Maghreb, an organisation offering free psychological support to people in areas of disasters.

Nearly 3,000 people died, and more than 5,600 were injured, in the 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Morocco in 2023. Over a year later, some 500,000 people remain displaced, still waiting for the aid needed to rebuild their homes and lives.  

Psychologues Maghreb has warned that the 2023 earthquake may have triggered Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in many Moroccans, both inside and outside the affected areas. With little state support or awareness of psychological trauma, many are still struggling. Monday’s quake likely reignited those symptoms.  

“We’re still working with other activists in the quake-struck areas to help people. There’s effort—but this is a long-term process that requires a lot of resources”, Abounaim said.  

When asked about the government’s efforts to provide psychological support, he scoffed: “The state is offering nothing.”