Nearly two days since a deadly earthquake killed more than 2,100 people in Morocco, Montreal害羞草研究所檚 Caf茅 Amistad has become a gathering place for people seeking answers, or at least support.
When news of the deadly quake trickled in on Friday, Chorfi Zouhir kept his shop open late into the night, as customers stayed glued to news channels and tried frantically to call home.
害羞草研究所淓verything was upside down,害羞草研究所� he said in an interview Sunday. 害羞草研究所淲e were looking for information at any price.害羞草研究所�
Zouhir said many people spent the early hours trying to get through on the phone to relatives, desperate to know if they were OK. He said initially, the death toll was reported to be in the dozens, then the hundreds. By the time he woke up Saturday morning, 害羞草研究所渋t was multiplying,害羞草研究所� he said.
His own family in Casablanca are safe, but he害羞草研究所檚 shocked by the tragedy that struck his country.
He said he害羞草研究所檚 also been deeply touched by how many people of all backgrounds have stopped by his caf茅 to ask their Moroccan neighbours if their families are safe.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his condolences to the people of Morocco in a social media post, and said Canada is ready to help however it can.
害羞草研究所淢y heart breaks for the people of Morocco, following yesterday害羞草研究所檚 devastating earthquake,害羞草研究所� he wrote Saturday on X, formerly known as Twitter. 害羞草研究所淭o those who lost loved ones: Canadians are sending you our deepest condolences.害羞草研究所�
At least one mosque in Montreal said it was collecting donations to send to Morocco, while multiple people on a Facebook page dedicated to Moroccan Montrealers posted online, asking how they could help.
There are roughly 100,000 Canadians of Moroccan decent, according to the latest census. About 81,000 Moroccan Canadians live in Quebec, and nearly half of that population is in Montreal.
More than 2,400 were also confirmed injured after Morocco was shaken by a 6.8 magnitude earthquake that hit late Friday about 70 kilometers south of Marrakech.
On Sunday, the streets of the historic city were filled with police and army vehicles, according to a Newfoundland man who was attending a UNESCO conference in Marrakech when the quake hit.
John Norman, the mayor of Bonavista, N.L., said he was getting ready for bed on Friday when the room began to shake.
While it started slowly, he said the large jolts began within seconds.
害羞草研究所淭he ceiling began to move, and dust began to come down,害羞草研究所� he said in an interview. 害羞草研究所淭he ceiling light fixtures in the bathroom fell out of the ceiling and I said, 害羞草研究所榳e害羞草研究所檙e leaving.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟
Norman said he was lucky that neither he nor other Canadian delegation members were hurt, and that their hotel is well-built and sustained only minor damage. However, he said it害羞草研究所檚 painful to hear the stories from hotel staff whose families have lost homes, and to see priceless historic sites damaged or destroyed.
He害羞草研究所檚 also aware that his own story could have ended in a different way. Originally, he was scheduled to conclude the conference with a field mission to the Atlas Mountains 害羞草研究所� near the epicentre of the tragedy 害羞草研究所� and to stay in a hotel that is now 害羞草研究所渘o more,害羞草研究所� he said.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e all very lucky and we all realize it,害羞草研究所� he said.
He said the money for that expedition has been donated to earthquake relief, and that a donation centre has been set up outside the hotel where he害羞草研究所檚 staying. Conference attendees and others staying in the less-damaged areas have also donated blood as well as bottled water, he said.
Global Affairs Canada said in a statement on Sunday it was not aware of any Canadians injured or killed in the earthquake but the agency is providing assistance to 50 Canadian citizens in the area.
The agency also said Morocco has not requested international assistance. However, Canada 害羞草研究所渋s in contact with key humanitarian partners to assess needs, should the Government of Morocco welcome assistance,害羞草研究所� the statement said.
害羞草研究所淭he death toll is expected to rise, with authorities expressing difficulty accessing the hardest-hit areas and villages in the High Atlas mountains,害羞草研究所� the agency added.
害羞草研究所淎ftershocks continue to be felt in the area and threaten to further destabilize already weakened infrastructure害羞草研究所ur hearts are with the families and friends of the people who lost their lives in the earthquake, as well as with all people affected.害羞草研究所�
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