Morocco suffered a 6.8-magnitude earthquake on Friday night in the Atlas mountains, southwest of Marrakesh. The disaster killed an estimated 2,500 people and injured a similar number according to most recent estimates. Around 300,000 Moroccan residents are said to have been directly affected by the natural disaster, with projections by the Department of Foreign Affairs that numbers will only continue to increase.

Ireland has pledged €2 million of Irish Aid to the people of Morocco, announced today by Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin. The relief aid will bolster the efforts of the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) and the Moroccan Red Crescent Society (MRCS), who are on the scene of the disaster and aiding the response.

Ireland joins Spain, Qatar, the UK and the United Arab Emirates as one of only five countries so far to have pledged aid to Morocco. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) stated the funds “will support immediate and urgent humanitarian needs on the ground.”

The €2 million Irish support will arrive on top of prepositioned funding of €2.4 million already provided to the IFRC by Ireland this year. The financial support is part of a three-year MOU deal based on immediate response to unexpected disasters such as this. Funds will be directed toward providing emergency shelter, sanitary drinking water and food, mobile health care including emotional and psychological support, and hygiene centres for local residents affected by the tragedy.

Photographs and news reports from the scene show buildings left in rubble across the country. It is expected that many thousands of local residents will be displaced following evacuations in the region. Today, a ">video shared via The New York Times revealed the heartbreaking reality of affected Moroccan locals in villages still waiting for emergency relief.

“Everything was buried, including my children,” says a father in the video, from Sidi Hssaine. Another man navigates the site of his brother’s home, where he and his family were buried beneath the rubble. “No one has been here, just you,” he tells the videographer.

“My kids are gone. My wife is at the hospital,” says the local man. “No one has come to help us. No police, no ambulance.”

Minister Martin announced the news today and shared, “Ireland stands in solidarity with the people of Morocco and will provide immediate emergency humanitarian assistance. Funding from Ireland will support a locally led response and provide assistance to those most impacted by this disaster.

“Ireland has a proud record of responding quickly to support partners around the world when disasters strike. Our thoughts are with all the families who have lost loved ones.”