Moroccans whose homes were destroyed by last week’s earthquake face daunting rebuilding decisions

AMIZMIZ, Morocco — The building where Naima Ait Brahim Ouali lived in a third-story apartment with her five children was one of many that were destroyed by the earthquake that killed nearly 3,000 people in Morocco last week. Though many villagers are being provided with food and water, officials said it could take five or six years to rebuild Atlas Mountain communities like Amizmiz, which is more than an hour’s drive from the closest big city, Marrakech. Some in the Al Haouz region’s mountain towns and villages might move away, but Ait Brahim Ouali said she’s committed to staying — just not in the same type of multistory brick apartment building. “This is always a major risk in humanitarian disasters or when earthquakes like this break and it’s very hard to reach certain areas.” Like many in Amizmiz, 40-year-old plumber Rachid Alachoun said his family plans to stay and rebuild.