Recovery with an eye on heritage

The Agadir Oufella, a fortress damaged during an earthquake in 1960 and restored recently in Agadir. As Morocco tries to rebuild after the earthquake in September, tradition is at the top of many minds; experts say the government should preserve cultural and architectural heritage, while also building disaster-resistant homes. — ©2023 The New York Times Company

BOUJEMAA Kouti still remembers the screams of his neighbours trapped under the rubble of their houses, calling for help that horrific night 63 years ago.

He was just eight and asleep when a large earthquake struck Morocco in 1960, wiping out entire neighbourhoods in the coastal city of Agadir, near the Atlas Mountains, and killing at least 12,000 people.