RABAT: Morocco has been struck by the deadliest earthquake in decades, killing at least 1,037 people, with widespread destruction reported as terrified residents and tourists scrambled to safety in the middle of the night.
The powerful 6.8-magnitude quake struck a mountainous area located 72 kilometers (45 miles) southwest of the popular tourist destination, Marrakesh, at 11:11 pm (2211 GMT) on Friday, as reported by the US Geological Survey. Strong tremors were also felt in coastal cities such as Rabat, Casablanca, and Essaouira.
Many residents described their experiences during the earthquake as terrifying. Ghannou Najem, an elderly resident of Casablanca, who happened to be visiting Marrakesh at the time, said, “I was nearly asleep when I heard the doors and the shutters banging. I went outside in a panic. I thought I was going to die alone.”
Strongest Ever Earthquake in Morocco
This earthquake marks the strongest ever recorded in the North African kingdom, with one expert characterizing it as the region’s “biggest in more than 120 years.” Bill McGuire, a professor emeritus at Britain’s University College London, noted that in areas where destructive earthquakes are rare, buildings are often not constructed robustly enough to withstand such forces, leading to a high casualty count.
As of the latest update from the interior ministry, the earthquake has claimed 1,037 lives, with over half of the casualties occurring in the Al-Haouz, the epicenter of the quake, and Taroudant provinces. Additionally, there have been recorded deaths in Ouarzazate, Chichaoua, Azilal, and Youssoufia provinces, as well as in Marrakesh, Agadir, and the Casablanca area. Another 672 people have been injured, with 205 in critical condition.
The situation remains dire, with many families sleeping outside in fear of aftershocks. The Moroccan government has mobilized all necessary resources to assist the affected areas, and the regional blood transfusion center in Marrakesh has called on residents to donate blood for the injured.
The earthquake has also drawn condolences and offers of assistance from foreign leaders, including US President Joe Biden, Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and Pope Francis, among others.
Morocco has experienced significant earthquakes in the past, with a devastating quake in Al Hoceima in 2004 claiming hundreds of lives, and the historic Agadir earthquake of 1960 resulting in over 12,000 casualties. In 1980, Algeria was hit by the 7.3-magnitude El Asnam earthquake, which killed 2,500 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless.
