At least 1,000 people were killed and 1,200 injured after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake shook Morocco late Friday, the Interior Ministry said, Ednews reports citing The Washington Post.
The quake struck about 11:11 p.m. local time (6:11 p.m. Eastern time) in the province of Al Haouz, about 43 miles south of Marrakesh, devastating buildings and sending panicked residents of several cities fleeing to the streets in search of safety. The quake was felt in Marrakesh, Casablanca, Rabat, Fez and other cities.
14:21***
The death toll from a strong earthquake that struck Morocco Friday night has risen to 820, said the Moroccan Interior Ministry on Saturday, Ednews reports citing Xinhua.
The earthquake has also injured at least 672, according to the latest update from the ministry.
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit Morocco Friday at 11:11 p.m. local time (2211 GMT) at a depth of 18.5 km, said the U.S. Geological Survey.
The epicenter of the earthquake was near the town of Ighil in Al Haouz Province, some 70 km southwest of Marrakesh.
***10:52
A powerful earthquake struck Morocco’s High Atlas mountains late on Friday, killing at least 632 people and injuring 329 others, destroying buildings and sending residents of major cities rushing from their homes, Ednews reports citing Alarabiya News.
Men, women and children stayed out in the streets, fearing aftershocks.
Morocco’s interior ministry said early Saturday that most damage occurred outside of cities and towns.
*** 04:46
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Morocco late Friday night, killing hundreds of people and damaging buildings and historic landmarks in major cities.
Morocco’s Interior Ministry said early Saturday that at least 296 people had died in the provinces near the quake. Additionally, 153 injured people were sent to hospitals for treatment. The ministry wrote that most damage occurred outside of cities and towns.
The Moroccan Armed Forces initially said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that 100 were dead in the quake, and said safety was still a priority as strong aftershocks rocked the nation.
The powerful earthquake damaged buildings in major cities and sent panicked people pouring into streets and alleyways from the capital Rabat to Marrakech, the county’s most visited tourist destination and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Moroccans posted videos showing buildings reduced to rubble and dust, and parts of the famous red walls that surround the old city in Marrakech damaged. Tourists and others posted videos of people screaming and evacuating restaurants in the city as throbbing club music played.
The USGS said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 when it hit at 11:11 p.m., with shaking that lasted several seconds. Morocco’s National Seismic Monitoring and Alert Network measured it at 7 on the Richter scale. The U.S. agency reported a magnitude-4.9 aftershock hit 19 minutes later.
The survey said the temblor struck at an oblique-reverse fault, which had one plate fall away almost like a landslide.
Variations in early measurements are common, although either reading would be Morocco’s strongest in years. Though earthquakes are relatively rare in North Africa, a magnitude 5.8 tremor struck near Agadir and caused thousands of deaths in 1960.
“Earthquakes are not common in the area, but [this was] not unexpected,” said U.S. Geological Survey geophysicist Anna Andreyev, who said the quake is the largest since 1900.
She added, “Based on the depth and the magnitude, we can expect significant damage.”
The USGS said the epicenter was in the Moroccan High Atlas Mountain range, about 46 miles southeast of Marrakech. It was also near Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa and Oukaimeden, a popular Moroccan ski resort.
The USGS said the epicenter was 11 miles below the Earth’s surface, while Morocco’s seismic agency put it at 5 miles down. The temblor involved movement of the Africa plate about 341 miles south of its convergence with the Eurasian plate, the survey said.
Neither Moroccan officials nor MAP, Morocco’s official news agency, had published any information about casualties or damages as of early Saturday. Government officials typically use the agency to communicate information about important matters.
