The British man who has finished 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 faculties within the space he helped to determine have died.
Mike McHugo is a visionary entrepreneur who reworked an historic fort 60km south of Marrakech right into a sought-after eco-lodge often 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 informed him to get beneath the mattress or near the mattress.
“The entire constructing held up after which I received myself out and commenced taking care of our company and did roll calls.
“None of our employees or any of our company have been harmed.
“Then we slept the evening out within the open to avoid any secondary shocks.
“Within the morning we took inventory and taken care of our shoppers.
“The previous kasbah itself has been badly broken and can in all probability must 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 believe if I’d been in a special place I in all probability wouldn’t be.”
With no highway transport accessible, Mr McHugo then cycled to Marrakech on a folding bike.
“Now that our shoppers are secure, I’m concentrating on a charity I arrange referred to as Schooling For All Morocco,” he stated. The charity supplies colleges for ladies 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 ladies stay in essentially the most rural villages in Morocco the place there’s nonetheless plenty of mud and stone for his or her buildings,” he stated.
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“The mud villages are being razed. I do know for certain one in every of our women is lifeless 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 would. They are going to rebuild and are available again.”
Because the earthquake struck, he feels he has been “residing on adrenaline”.
“It is going to 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 means of GlobalGiving