A rare and powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck Morocco late at night at 11:11 PM on September 8. The devastating earthquake left Morocco with more than 2,900 people dead and 5,530 injured (as of September 12). A 4.9 magnitude aftershock followed 19 minutes later; several more have been reported. Rescuers in Morocco are still searching for survivors.

On August 4, 2020, the port of Beirut, Lebanon’s capital, was struck by two devastating explosions. The catastrophic event claimed the lives of over 6,000 people and 300,000 individuals lost their homes. Half of the city was ruined, and the aftermath of this tragedy has left the streets filled with debris, hospitals damaged, and an overwhelmed healthcare system.

“When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the city was locked down and the school was closed. I lost my job, and I could no longer volunteer. The Beirut explosion made it even more difficult to find food for my children. My children and I often went to bed hungry. Mylife was already difficult before the explosion, but after the Beirut explosion, I completely lost hope…”