New Zealand Herald travel writer Sarah Pollok in the town of Gueliz, Morocco.
Morocco’s most devastating earthquake in six decades has left thousands dead and many more homeless.
Ancient buildings have been razed and key transport routes through the Atlas Mountains have been completely cut off since the initial violent shakes at the end of the last week.
NZ Herald travel journalist Sarah Pollok was in the regional capital Marrakesh on an assignment when the tragedy struck.
Speaking from Morocco, she tells The Front Page podcast the anxiety and fear among everyone on the ground lingered long after that initial violent shake.
“There were aftershocks,” Pollok says.
“Immediately afterwards, we were really fortunate because we didn’t feel any, but in the following days, it’s been a tricky thing of not knowing whether I’m feeling an aftershock or whether it’s just my nerves. The risk of aftershocks has actually been one of the most difficult parts of the experience for me. It’s just a case of not knowing how big they are. It’s been incredibly anxiety-inducing.”
Pollok was with friends planning an evening celebration when the initial earthquake struck.
“The area I’m staying at is just a kilometre or two west of the main city centre in Marrakesh, which is where most of the devastation has happened – particularly in Medina or the old town.”
Pollok revisited some of the places that were most affected and said entire buildings have been reduced to rubble.
“There are dozens and dozens of displaced families who have either lost their homes or are too scared to return,” she says.
“They’re setting up temporary homes in the square. It’s definitely confronting.”
Multiple funds have been started to raise money for Morocco. One place to give donations is through the Intrepid Foundation.
To hear Sarah Pollok’s full account of what she has seen, listen to the full episode of today’s The Front Page podcast.
The Front Page is a daily news podcast from the New Zealand Herald, available to listen to every weekday from 5am. It is presented by Damien Venuto, an Auckland-based journalist with a background in business reporting who joined the Herald in 2017.
You can follow the podcast at iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
The Kremlin refuses to comment on Ukrainian allegations.