Morocco’s strongest quake on record: what we know

PARIS: Rescuers in Morocco were scrambling Sunday to reach people trapped under the rubble after a powerful earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people and decimated entire villages.

Here’s what we know so far:

Strongest-ever in Morocco

A 6.8-magnitude quake, according to the US Geological Survey – the strongest in the North African country’s history – struck Friday at 11:11 pm (2211 GMT) in an area of the Atlas mountain range 72 kilometres (45 miles) southwest of the city of Marrakesh.

It was also felt in the coastal cities of Rabat, Casablanca and Essaouira, as well as Agadir which in the 1960s had to be completely rebuilt after a devastating tremor.

Historic city hit

Friday’s quake caused damage in the tourist hotspot of Marrakesh which is famed for its sprawling medina, or old town, a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site of ochre-coloured palaces and markets.

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The city’s 12th-century ramparts partially collapsed.

Fearing their homes might collapse too, some residents spent the past two nights camped out on the vast Jemaa el-Fna square.

Atlas villages crumple

The worst destruction took place in the remote villages of the High Atlas, in the provinces of Al-Haouz and Taroudant.

The mud-brick villages of Tafeghaghte and Moulay Brahim, near the quake’s epicentre, were almost completely destroyed, AFP reporters witnessed.

In Tafeghaghte alone, some 70 victims out of a population of around 100 people were buried on Saturday.

Deaths mount

The quake killed at least 2,012 people and injured 2,059 others, of whom 1,404 are in critical condition, according to the latest figures from Morocco’s interior ministry.

Most deaths were recorded in Al-Haouz province, with 1,293, followed by Taroudant where at least 452 lives were lost.

One Frenchman was killed, according to French authorities.

Rescue underway

The race is on to get teams with heavy-lifting equipment into the worst-hit areas including hard-to-reach mountain villages.

The Moroccan Red Crescent and army are leading the rescue effort.

Caroline Holt of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said on Saturday that “the next 24 to 48 hours will be critical in terms of saving lives.”

Spain has sent 56 rescue workers along with drilling equipment and four search dogs after an official request from Morocco.

Other countries are waiting for an invitation to be able to intervene.

European Union members, Britain, the United States, Turkey and Israel – which established ties with Rabat in late 2020 – have all expressed solidarity with Morocco and offered help.

Three-day mourning

Morocco on Saturday proclaimed three days of national mourning, following a meeting presided by King Mohammed VI.