Tom Godfrey is the team lead for UK-Med, a charity and rescue team. They have been invited by the Moroccan government to help in the country with the response to the earthquake.
The team of four, whose trip is being funded by the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, landed this morning in Marrakesh and are currently on the road to Amizmiz.
He said: “When we arrive there we are going to link up with the central rescue team and work with local health authorities.
“We’re also in touch with the ministry of health and UN coordination to figure out how we can best facilitate and establish where the needs are greatest.”
The team consists of Godfrey as lead, an emergency nurse, a water and sanitation specialist and a logistician.
Godfrey also explained that there are more team members in the UK ready to be deployed, but they’re waiting for the green light from the Moroccan government.
“We are the advance party trying to establish how we can help. Then if we get the go ahead, we will send over further people.
“We don’t want to bring in additional capacity unless the Moroccan government needs it.”
Tom described Marrakesh as “functioning fairly-well” and they didn’t go into the old town. But he said: “The worst impact is towards the southwest. In the villages the health situation is worst there.
“We know that earthquakes can affect remote areas entirely differently.”
Tom explained that the injuries they’re expecting are traumas of varying degrees but soft tissue injuries to begin with and potentially diseases in the longer term.
He added: “We’re really glad to have the opportunity to help and bring added value. We’re feeling eager to get stuck in.”