Moroccan Canadians shocked and concerned after thousands killed in earthquake

In the nearly two days since a deadly earthquake killed more than 2,000 people in Morocco, Montreal's Café Amistad has become a gathering place for people seeking answers, or at least support.

As news of the deadly quake trickled in on Friday, Chorfi Zouhir kept his shop open late into the night, as customers stayed glued to news channels and tried frantically to call home. 

"Everything was upside down," Zouhir said in an interview Sunday. "We were looking for information at any price."

There are roughly 100,000 Canadians of Moroccan descent, according to the latest census, most of whom — about 81,000 — live in Quebec. Nearly half of that population is in Montreal.

Zouhir said many people spent the early hours trying to get through to relatives on the phone, desperate to know if they were OK. He said initially, the death toll was reported to be in the dozens, then the hundreds. By the time he woke up Saturday morning, "it was multiplying," he said.

At last count, state officials reported 2,122 deaths and 2,421 people injured after the Kingdom of Morocco was shaken by a 6.8 magnitude earthquake late Friday, about 70 kilometres south of Marrakech. 

Zouhir's family members in Casablanca are safe, but he is shocked by the tragedy that struck his country. 

He has also been deeply touched by how many people of all backgrounds have stopped by his café to ask their Moroccan neighbours if their families are safe.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his condolences to the people of Morocco in a social media post, and said Canada is ready to help however it can. "My heart breaks for the people of Morocco, following yesterday's devastating earthquake," Trudeau wrote Saturday on X, formerly known as Twitter. "To those who lost loved ones: Canadians are sending you our deepest condolences."

At least one mosque in Montreal said it is collecting donations to send to Morocco, while multiple people on a Facebook page dedicated to Moroccan Montrealers posted online, asking how they could help.

In London, Ont., the local Moroccan community gathered over the weekend to pray for the victims of the earthquake and discuss ways to help their loved ones in the country.

Abdallah Haida, vice-president of the Moroccan Association of London Ontario, said his team is working with global agencies such as Islamic Relief Canada and local charities in Morocco to help send money and basic necessities to those impacted by the tragedy.

Some relief workers from Canada are also on their way to Morocco, according to Rahul Singh, the executive director of Ontario-based humanitarian aid organization GlobalMedic. Singh told CBC News that these teams will be helping relief workers on the ground and providing clean drinking water to survivors. 

In an update on Sunday, Global Affairs Canada said it was not aware of any Canadian citizens injured or killed in Morocco.