On September 8, a powerful earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter Scale shook Morocco. As per the data provided by Morocco’s government, the death toll from the deadly quake has risen to 2,000. Around 329 people have been reported injured. As the rescue workers comb through the rubble, they are expected to find more injured and dead bodies stuck under the destroyed buildings.
Videos posted on social media showed buildings crumbling to rubble and dust across the city. The famous red walls surrounding the old town in UNESCO World Heritage site Marrakesh were also damaged in the earthquake. As per the report, the earthquake hit Morocco at 11:11 PM and lasted several seconds. Another 4.9 magnitude aftershock hit the country 19 minutes after the initial shock. According to data from the US Geological Survey, the earthquake’s epicentre was situated 71 kilometres southwest of the renowned tourist destination Marrakesh, at a depth of 18.5 kilometres.
The earthquake’s most severe impact, as reported by the Interior Ministry of Morocco, has been on older settlements located beyond the city limits. Numerous Moroccan citizens have shared videos and photos on social media depicting buildings disintegrating into clouds of dust as a result of the earthquake, with particular devastation witnessed in Marrakesh, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tourists in the area have also shared videos capturing people fleeing and shouting in a bid to safeguard their lives in the aftermath of the quake.
Earthquakes are infrequent in North Africa, with a notable exception being the 1960 tremor near Agadir, which registered a magnitude of 5.8 and resulted in the tragic loss of thousands of lives.
