Morocco Earthquake: Thousands dead,injured prompts international aid response
Rocks dislodged by the earthquake blocked some of the roads leading to the Atlas Mountains, where the hardest-hit areas are located.
- World
- Published Date: 12:37 | 11 September 2023
- Modified Date: 05:13 | 11 September 2023
The quake, measuring 6.8 in magnitude, caused buildings to collapse, roads to be blocked, and shook buildings even in distant areas such as the northern coast of the country.
Marrakech's historic city center, a UNESCO World Heritage site, also sustained damage.
King Mohammed VI of Morocco declared three days of national mourning. A statement from the palace announced the deployment of civil defense units to increase blood bank, water, food, tent, and blanket supplies.
The earthquake that struck last Friday, the deadliest in the country in the past 60 years, hit villages in the mountainous regions south of the city of Marrakech. Official reports indicate that at least 2,122 people have died, with another 2,421 seriously injured.
In the small town of Amizmiz, located in a valley within the mountains, many buildings were reduced to rubble.