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Morocco has declared three days of national mourning following a devastating earthquake late Friday that killed 2,000 people. During this period of national mourning, flags at all public facilities will be flown at half-mast, as announced by the royal office after Morocco’s King Mohammed VI chaired a meeting regarding the disaster, according to Xinhua news agency. There is a report. An earthquake occurred in Morocco at 11:11 p.m., the magnitude of which was measured at 6.8. According to the United States Geological Survey, it had a depth of 18.5 km local time on Friday. The epicenter was located near the town of Ighil in Al Houz province, about 70 km southwest of Marrakesh. According to the latest update on Saturday from Morocco’s Interior Ministry, the earthquake caused the tragic loss of 2,012 people and left 2,059 injured, 1,404 of whom are in serious condition.
Morocco has not seen a disaster of this magnitude since 2004, when a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck the port city of Al Hoceima, resulting in the loss of about 630 people. Most deaths from this earthquake occurred in remote and inaccessible mountainous areas near the epicenter. Rescue efforts were further complicated by destroyed roads. Rescue teams have been sent to the affected areas to search for survivors, according to local media reports. Television footage showed rescue workers searching tirelessly through debris and debris to locate survivors. The impact of the earthquake was felt in various cities of Morocco, including the capital Rabat, and Casablanca. Reports suggest that many houses collapsed in Taroudant and Marrakesh. In Imlil, a small village in the High Atlas mountains, about 60 kilometers south of Marrakesh, video footage showed rows of buildings razed to the ground. A resident, who wished to remain anonymous, described the earthquake as “more intense than any previous earthquake.” On the road from Ouarzazate to the epicenter, rocks, debris from the mountains, and collapsed buildings were seen scattered along the way.
