The British man who has performed greater than anybody else to construct tourism in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains says he’s “fortunate to be alive” after he was caught up in Friday’s catastrophic earthquake.
However some college students attending the colleges within the space he helped to ascertain have died.
Mike McHugo is a visionary entrepreneur who reworked an historical fort 60km south of Marrakech right into a sought-after eco-lodge generally known as the Kasbah du Toubkal. It’s positioned within the foothills of North Africa’s highest mountain, Toubkal, above the village of Imlil.
He was in mattress within the property at 11.11pm on Friday when the earthquake struck.
“I used to be woken up and I knew immediately it was an earthquake. I used to be in a room with my brother and I knew we couldn’t get out as a result of we’re in a downstairs bed room and stuff was falling round. I simply instructed him to get below the mattress or near the mattress.
“The entire constructing held up after which I acquired myself out and started taking care of our friends and did roll calls.
“None of our workers or any of our friends had been harmed.
“Then we slept the night time out within the open to steer clear of any secondary shocks.
“Within the morning we took inventory and sorted our purchasers.
“The outdated kasbah itself has been badly broken and can in all probability should be rebuilt versus repaired. However the [new-built] rooms have held up remarkably effectively.
“I do know I’m fortunate to be alive as a result of I feel if I’d been in a unique place I in all probability wouldn’t be.”
With no highway transport out there, Mr McHugo then cycled to Marrakech on a folding bike.
“Now that our purchasers are secure, I’m concentrating on a charity I arrange known as Schooling For All Morocco,” he mentioned. The charity gives faculties for women within the area who would in any other case haven’t any training.
5 out of the six buildings will want main restore or rebuilding – however they’re in higher form than most buildings within the space.
“The women stay in essentially the most rural villages in Morocco the place there’s nonetheless numerous mud and stone for his or her buildings,” he mentioned.
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“The mud villages are being razed. I do know for positive certainly one of our women is useless and their complete household have gone.”
Mr McHugo is satisfied that tourism will resume rapidly within the area: “Life wants to return to regular, which it should. They may rebuild and are available again.”
For the reason that earthquake struck, he feels he has been “residing on adrenaline”.
“It should in all probability hit me. Proper now I’m simply making an attempt to maintain busy and be helpful.”
You’ll be able to donate to Schooling for All Morocco by GlobalGiving