In the wake of an exceptionally powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Morocco on Friday night, the death toll has surged significantly. The numbers now stand at a staggering 2,901 confirmed deaths, with an additional 5,530 individuals reported as injured. This earthquake, the most potent in Morocco’s history in over a century, targeted the High Atlas mountain range near Marrakech.

Despite offers of assistance from the United States, the Moroccan government has not yet accepted aid for earthquake relief. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken personally extended condolences and explored avenues for the United States to contribute to the humanitarian response.

Shifting our focus to Libya, the eastern part of the country has suffered catastrophic loss of life and property due to a powerful storm that swept through the mountainous regions and coastline. This tempest led to the ruin of two dams, unleashing torrents of fast-flowing, muddy water, resulting in hundreds of casualties and thousands feared missing.

In the city of Derna alone, the toll stands at over 2,000 lives lost to floodwaters, while efforts to locate missing individuals persist in earnest. Accessing affected areas in Libya has proven to be a formidable challenge, impeding the precise determination of casualties. Local responders, including government personnel and volunteers, are tirelessly engaged in the grim task of recovering bodies from the debris.

Entire families have met tragic ends in this disaster, rendering many homeless and displaced across eastern Libya. Termed “Storm Daniel,” this meteorological catastrophe gained strength as it traversed the Mediterranean before making landfall in Libya. The breach of two dams caused widespread flooding, marking a significant and unexpected event in a region that had not witnessed such a major natural calamity for six decades.

Morocco and Libya, akin to numerous North African nations, confront susceptibility to climate-related catastrophes owing to their geographic locations and arid climates.

Common to North Africa is the specter of drought and water scarcity, with both Morocco and Libya grappling with recurrent droughts that have dire consequences for agriculture, a linchpin sector in these countries.

Additionally, the ominous shadow of desertification looms large. The conversion of fertile land into arid desert poses a formidable threat, imperiling agricultural productivity and driving rural communities to seek new abodes.

With rising temperatures as an unwavering trend, both nations must grapple with ever-escalating mercury levels. The menacing specter of intense heatwaves casts a long shadow over public health, while the implications for agricultural production remain a matter of grave concern.

The recent seismic and meteorological events in Morocco and Libya, although less frequent than in some regions, have left an indelible mark on North Africa. Morocco faces a daunting path to recovery, with extensive damage requiring years to rectify. Libya’s coastal regions bear the brunt of concerns, especially coastal erosion, and the rehabilitation of dams, roads, and other infrastructure will be a protracted endeavor.

Tragically, the prospects of rescuing those trapped beneath the rubble in Morocco are dim, while in Libya, thousands have been swept away by the relentless force of nature.

Climate-related challenges are multiplying, not only in Africa but on a global scale. It is abundantly clear that addressing climate-induced disasters in Africa necessitates united international efforts and collaboration on an unprecedented scale.