A powerful earthquake struck Morocco on Friday, claiming hundreds of lives as frightened residents evacuated their homes during the night. It’s the strongest recorded in the country’s history.
A powerful earthquake shook Morocco on Friday and killed more than 1037 people, according to a preliminary government count, with terrified residents fleeing their homes in the middle of the night.
The 6.8-magnitude quake struck 72 kilometers southwest of tourist hotspot Marrakesh at 11:11 pm (2211 GMT), the US Geological Survey reported.
Strong tremors were also felt in the coastal cities of Rabat, Casablanca, and Essaouira.
It is the strongest-ever quake to hit the North African kingdom, and one expert described it as the region’s “biggest in more than 120 years”.
Updated interior ministry figures on Saturday showed the quake killed 820 people, more than half of them in Al-Haouz, the epicenter, and Taroudant provinces.
The ministry also recorded deaths in Ouarzazate, Chichaoua, Azilal, and Youssoufia provinces, as well as in Marrakesh, Agadir, and the Casablanca area.
Another 672 people were injured, including 205 in critical condition, the ministry said.
‘A real catastrophe’
Faisal Baddour, an engineer, said he felt the quake three times in his building.
“There are families who are still sleeping outside because we were so scared of the force of this earthquake,” he said. “It was as if a train was passing close to our houses.”
Frenchman Michael Bizet, 43, who owns three traditional riad houses in Marrakesh’s old town, told AFP that he was in bed when the quake struck.
“I thought my bed was going to fly away. I went out into the street half-naked and immediately went to see my riads. It was total chaos, a real catastrophe, madness,” he said.
Bizet shared a video of piles of rubble from collapsed walls in the streets.
An AFP correspondent saw hundreds of people flocking to the square to spend the night for fear of aftershocks, some with blankets while others slept on the ground.
Mimi Theobold, 25, a tourist from England, said she was with friends on a restaurant terrace when the tables began shaking and plates went flying.
Houda Outassaf, a local resident, said she is “still in shock” after feeling the earth shake beneath her feet, and losing relatives.
“I have at least 10 members of my family who died… I can hardly believe it, as I was with them no more than two days ago,” she said.
The regional blood transfusion center in Marrakesh called on residents to donate blood for those injured.
The USGS PAGER system, which provides preliminary assessments on the impact of earthquakes, issued a “red alert” for economic losses, saying extensive damage is probable.
Condolences from foreign leaders
Foreign leaders expressed their condolences and many offered assistance.
US President Joe Biden said in a statement he was “deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation.”
Chinese leader Xi Jinping expressed “deep grief for the victims” and hoped that “the Moroccan government and people will be able to overcome the impact of this disaster”, according to Beijing’s state media.
Pope Francis expressed “his profound solidarity with those who are touched in the flesh and heart by this tragedy.”
Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel which established diplomatic ties with Morocco in 2020, ordered “any necessary assistance.”
The earthquake was also felt in neighboring Algeria, where the Algerian Civil Defence said it had not caused any damage or casualties.
Katrine Dige Houmøller, with AFP
