The worst earthquake to strike central Morocco in almost a century has killed over 800 people. Damaged structures and city walls caused injuries to several locals in the historic district of Marrakech, which is on the list of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.
Damage From Tremors
Approximately 72 kilometers (44.7 miles) southwest of Marrakech, a city of some 840,000 people and a favorite among tourists, the epicenter of a 6.8-magnitude earthquake was located, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The earthquake occurred shortly after 11:00 PM local time on Friday, September 8.
As reported by state-run TV Al Aoula via CNN, quoting the Moroccan Interior Ministry, 820 people were murdered, and 672 were injured. About 205 of those injured are in serious condition.
Aftershocks kept many Moroccans out on the streets all night as rescuers scrambled desperately to find anyone who had been buried beneath the debris.
Authorities in the medical field have also appealed for blood donations to aid casualties. A CNN reporter in Marrakech saw a large group of individuals who seemed to be wounded waiting outside a hospital.
There was a heavy police and military presence around the area, and hospital beds were relocated.
Authorities indicated that the majority of fatalities were in inaccessible mountainous regions near the disaster's epicenter. Al Aoula reported that rescue crews were having trouble reaching the worst-hit areas due to damaged roads.
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Warning From Authorities
The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces have issued a warning to the local population to be vigilant in the event of any more tremors. "We remind you of the need to exercise caution and take safety measures due to the risk of aftershocks," the military posted on X, previously Twitter.
According to the USGS, Friday night's earthquake was rather powerful for that region of Morocco. It stated, "Earthquakes of this size in the region are uncommon, but not unexpected. Since 1900, there have been no earthquakes M6 (magnitude 6) and larger within 500 km of this earthquake, and only 9 M5 (magnitude 5) and larger earthquakes."
The US organization warned that massive destruction and casualties are possible, pointing out that many people in the region live in buildings that are particularly susceptible to seismic shaking.
On Saturday, September 9, Al-Aoula television showed many fallen structures near the epicenter and said that hundreds of people had evacuated their houses due to aftershock warnings from the country's National Institute of Geophysics.
Local resident Montasir Itri told Reuters that most homes in the mountain town of Asni near the epicenter were destroyed or severely damaged. "Our neighbours are under the rubble and people are working hard to rescue them using available means in the village."
