A powerful earthquake struck Morocco on Saturday, killing dozens of people and destroying buildings in several cities and towns.
The quake, which had a magnitude of 7.0 on the Richter scale, struck at 2:43 a.m. local time. It was centered in the southwestern region of Marrakech, about 320 kilometers (200 miles) south of the capital, Rabat.
BREAKING: Multiple buildings collapsed and damaged after massive earthquake hits Marrakesh, Morocco pic.twitter.com/fi6DEVfNXS
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) September 8, 2023
The earthquake was felt in cities and towns across Morocco, including Marrakech, Rabat, Casablanca, and Fez. It caused buildings to collapse, roads to crack, and power outages.
The Moroccan government has declared a state of emergency in the affected areas. The army has been deployed to help with rescue and relief efforts.
How can MSM say “no immediate reports of damage”
This is the Mosque near the famous Jamaâ El Fnaa square in #Marrakech.#Morocco #Maroc pic.twitter.com/W4HXiCwamM
— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) September 8, 2023
Officials say that at least 50 people have been killed and hundreds more injured. The death toll is expected to rise as rescue workers reach more remote areas.
The earthquake is the deadliest to hit Morocco since 2004, when a 6.3-magnitude quake killed 628 people in the northern province of Al Hoceima.
Moment of building collapse at #Morocco after massive #earthquake
#Maroc #moroccosismo #earthquake #deprem #earthquakes #Sismo #Morocco pic.twitter.com/zXeLEuNVEA
— Updates (@sirfupdate) September 9, 2023
The Moroccan government has said that it will provide financial assistance to those affected by the earthquake.
The earthquake is a reminder of the seismic risk in Morocco, which is located in a seismically active region.
More images of the damage after the 6.8 earthquake that shook Morocco 🇲🇦#Marrakech #Morocco #Maroc #earthquake #breakingnews #breaking #LatestUpdate pic.twitter.com/BegV6Kmzie
— mishikasingh (@mishika_singh) September 9, 2023
The country has experienced several major earthquakes in recent decades, including the 1960 Agadir earthquake, which killed more than 15,000 people.
🎥UNE FEMME EN DÉTRESSE TOTAL A OUARZAZATE APRÈS LA DISPARITION DE SES ENFANTS 😣🤲🏻 DES DUAA S’ILS VOUS PLAIT 🇲🇦
QU’ALLAH LEURS VIENNENT EN AIDE 🤲🏻
— MAROCFOOT 🇲🇦 (@MarocFoot22) September 9, 2023