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From Our Own Correspondent

Morocco: Tragedy in the High Atlas Mountains

From Our Own Correspondent

BBC

News, News Commentary

4.41.3K Ratings

🗓️ 16 September 2023

⏱️ 29 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Stories from Morocco, Gabon, Pakistan, Norway and Canada A community in the High Atlas Mountains grapples with the devastation wrought by the strongest earthquake to hit Morocco in more than one hundred years. James Copnall visited Amizmiz where several lives were lost and homes destroyed and a harsh winter lies ahead. The West African country of Gabon has become the latest in the region to witness a military coup, overthrowing the government of President Ali Bongo, scion of the Bongo dynasty. Catherine Norris-Trent encountered jubilation on the streets of Libraville - but asks whether pledges of democratic elections will be fulfilled. In Pakistan, we followed the search in the country for three relatives of Sara Sharif, the ten-year old who was found dead in Woking. Her father, step-mother and Uncle have now been charged with her murder since they returned to the UK. Caroline Davies visited Sara's grandfather in his village in Punjab. On the Norway-Russian border, there used to be a steady stream of visitors, but the war in Ukraine changed that. It remains open but Norwegians have introduced more checks on those coming over. John Murphy found a more active border in the waters of a river nearby where locals are battling to keep out a different kind of visitor. As he returns from paternity leave, our Rome correspondent, Mark Lowen, recounts his experience of becoming a father using a surrogate in Canada, even as Italy moves to ban its nationals from engaging a surrogate abroad. Series Producer: Serena Tarling Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman Editor: Bridget Harney

Transcript

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0:00.0

BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts

0:05.0

Today, brass bands sound in the streets of Libraville and the West African nation of

0:10.5

Gabon, celebrating the end of the Bongo dynasty, but the future is somewhat murky.

0:18.1

In Pakistan, our reporter recounts the challenges of covering the case of ten-year-old Sara Sharif

0:24.5

after her relatives fled there.

0:27.3

The Norway Russian border has, in recent years, seen an influx of Russians fleeing conscription,

0:33.8

which is now dwindling, but now a new border has formed in a river.

0:39.0

And as our Rome correspondent returns from parental leave, he recounts his experience of becoming

0:45.2

a father using a surrogate in Canada.

0:49.3

First to Morocco, where the relief effort continues after a devastating earthquake struck

0:54.7

the centre of the country just over a week ago, killing nearly 3,000 people.

1:00.8

The Quake, which measured 6.8 on the Richter scale, is the strongest to hit the area for

1:06.3

more than a hundred years.

1:08.7

It struck late on a Friday night, leaving many who were sleeping trapped in collapsed buildings.

1:15.1

The epicenter was in the High Atlas Mountains south of Marrakesh, an area where the fragile

1:21.0

infrastructure it will prepare for such a strong Quake.

1:25.2

And many Moroccans now face the prospect of a harsh winter without homes.

1:30.6

James Coppnell, a former Morocco correspondent, has been in the High Atlas.

1:36.2

Amsmeez is, I should say, was a pretty little town.

1:40.8

It follows the curve of the road from Marrakesh into the mountains with incredible views across

1:45.8

the valleys that turn a gentle shade of peach when the sun begins to set.

1:51.3

Foreign tourists have come here for decades to hike in the hills, the Moroccans for a

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