6.8-Magnitude Earthquake Kills Over 1,000 People in Morocco

Posted: September 11, 2023 1:50 pm

Over 1,000 have been confirmed dead after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck the central portion of Morocco on Friday night. Here is the latest on this dire situation.

6.8-Magnitude Earthquake Creates Chaos in Mountains Outside of Marrakech

Search and rescue crews are working tirelessly to dig through the rubble to look for survivors after the earthquake rocked the High Atlas mountain range at just after 11 pm local time Friday. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the quake happened at a shallow depth of just 11.4 miles. The epicenter of this deadly tremor was centered about 44 miles to the southwest of the heavily populated city of Marrakech.

The country’s interior ministry had confirmed that 1,037 were confirmed dead as of Saturday morning. In addition, over 700 more people were in critical condition. The immediate aftermath of the earthquake was chaos as survivors worked to free those trapped under the cover of the darkness of the night. Authorities warn that the death toll is likely to rise significantly in the coming days

The remote location near the epicenter has also complicated the search and rescue efforts. The severe damage to the roads leading in and out of this region has also hampered the process of looking for survivors.

Many residents spent the night on the street worried that aftershocks would bring down vulnerable structures. The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces is warning citizens to be mindful of the chance of aftershocks.

The USGS confirmed that an earthquake of his magnitude is rare for this part of Africa. You have to go back to 2004 to find a natural disaster of this magnitude for Morocco. An earthquake near the city of Al Hoceima claimed the lives of about 630 people that year.

Damage to Marrakech

The historic city of Marrakech also experienced damage as a result of the quake. The old city area is reporting partially compassed walls. The UNESCO World Heritage Site was first built up during the early 12th century. Images coming in from the area show the damage to the iconic red walls surrounding the city center.

Approximately 840,000 people call Marrakech home. Many of these residents spent the night sleeping in the streets because of the fear of aftershocks.

The city is also a popular tourist destination, easily accessible from Europe. The area is bursting with mosques, gardens, street markets, and palaces from the medieval era. It is still unclear as to the extent of the damage to the buildings that have stood for centuries.

Algeria announced on Saturday that it will open its airspace in order to allow for the rapid flow of humanitarian aid into the region. Algeria and Morocco are known for their strained relations. Algeria made the decision in 2021 to close its airspace to all aircraft registered in Morocco after the two nations severed their diplomatic relationship.

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