Over 1000 Killed In Morocco As 6.8 Magnitude Earthquake Jolts The Country

A massive earthquake jolted Morocco late Friday night, killing over 1,000 people and injuring hundreds more. The country's most lethal quake in more than six decades reportedly decimated houses in distant mountain villages where rescuers searched through rubble for survivors.

AFP

The quake hit Morocco's High Atlas mountains late on September 8, damaging historic buildings in Marrakech, the nearest city to the epicentre, while the most badly affected areas were in the hills nearby.

Death Toll climbs to 1,037

The Interior Ministry said 1,037 people had been killed and another 672 injured by the quake, gauged by the U.S. Geological Survey at a magnitude of 6.8 with an epicentre some 72 km (45 miles) southwest of Marrakech.

A view of mosque during earthquake in Morocco.
Other buildings collapsed but mosque did not.Allah have mercy on him .????#?????_?????? #Morroco #???????#earthquake #Maroc #????? pic.twitter.com/W388J0oxdf

¡ª Muhammad Shahbaz (@Muhamma40247642) September 9, 2023

??MASSIVE Earthquake in Morroco
632 People Dead and 320 injured

: Whole families wiped out as quake with a magnitude of 6.8 hits near Marrakesh and leaves trail of devastation pic.twitter.com/v9rKQTHZPq

¡ª ??? ??? Ad¨¤eze (@nubianbarbieeee) September 9, 2023

Moroccan citizens shared videos depicting the earthquake's aftermath, with buildings reduced to rubble and dust. Parts of the iconic red walls surrounding Marrakech's historic old city, a UNESCO World Heritage site, were also damaged.

Damage in Marrakech

In Marrakech, some houses in the tightly packed old city had collapsed, and people used their hands to remove debris while they waited for heavy equipment, said resident Id Waaziz Hassan.

People in the capital city of Rabat, about 350 km north of Ighil, and in the coastal town of Imsouane, about 180 km to its west, also fled their homes, fearing a stronger quake.

AP

In Casablanca, some 250 km north of Ighil, people who spent the night in the streets were too scared to return to their homes.

"The house rocked aggressively, everyone was scared," said resident Mohamed Taqafi.

Most potent quake in the region

Earthquakes are relatively rare in North Africa. Lahcen Mhanni, Head of the Seismic Monitoring and Warning Department at the National Institute of Geophysics, told 2M TV that the earthquake was the strongest ever recorded in the region.

Reuters

In 1960, a magnitude 5.8 tremor struck near the Moroccan city of Agadir and caused thousands of deaths.

The Agadir quake prompted changes in construction rules in Morocco, but many buildings, especially rural homes, are not built to withstand such tremors.

In 2004, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake near the Mediterranean coastal city of Al Hoceima left more than 600 dead.

Friday's quake was felt as far away as Portugal and Algeria, according to the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere and Algeria's Civil Defense agency, which oversees emergency response.

PM Modi expresses grief

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed grief at the loss of lives in the Morocco earthquake and offered all possible assistance to the country in this challenging time.

Extremely pained by the loss of lives due to an earthquake in Morocco. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the people of Morocco. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. India is ready to offer all possible assistance to¡­

¡ª Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 9, 2023

"Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. India is ready to offer all possible assistance to Morocco in this difficult time," the Prime Minister added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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