Earthquake in Morocco: more than 1,000 dead after the worst earthquake in decades

CNN
—

More than 1,000 people have been killed after the deadliest earthquake in decades hit central Morocco, with rescuers digging through rubble in remote mountainous areas to find victims.

The 6.8 magnitude earthquake rocked Morocco’s High Atlas mountain range shortly after 11 p.m. local time on Friday at a relatively shallow depth of 18.5 kilometers (11.4 miles), it said. the United States Geological Survey (USGS), with the epicenter located approximately 72 kilometers away. 70 km) southwest of Marrakech, a city of around 840,000 inhabitants and a popular tourist destination.

At least 1,037 people were killed and more than 700 others in critical condition, Moroccan national television Al Aoula said, citing the interior ministry.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of destruction in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains following the earthquake.

View this interactive content on CNN.com

Fatima, 50, told CNN her home in the mountain village of Asni – near the earthquake’s epicenter – had been destroyed. “I barely had a chance to grab the children and run away before seeing my house collapse before my eyes. The neighbor’s house also collapsed and there are two dead under the rubble,” she said.

Mohammed, 50, from the neighboring town of Ouirgane, lost four members of his family in the earthquake. “I managed to escape safely with my two children, but I lost the rest. My house is no longer there,” he said.

Rescue operations are underway there. “We are in the street with the authorities trying to pull the dead from the rubble. Many people were taken to the hospital in front of me. We hope that miracles will emerge from the rubble,” he said.

The country has never experienced a comparable disaster since 2004, when a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the port city of Al Hoceima, killing around 630 people. Morocco’s worst modern-day earthquake occurred in 1960 near the western city of Agadir and killed at least 12,000 people.

Many Moroccans spent Friday night in the streets, fearing aftershocks. Health authorities also called on the population to donate blood to help the victims.

Most of the deaths occurred in mountainous areas near the epicenter that were difficult to access, authorities said, and rescue teams had difficulty accessing the worst-hit areas after roads were damaged, Al Aoula reported.

The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces warned residents to pay particular attention to the tremors that could follow.

“We remind you of the need to exercise caution and take safety measures due to the risk of aftershocks,” the army wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The USGS said Friday evening’s earthquake was of unusual intensity for this part of Morocco.

“Earthquakes of this magnitude in the region are rare, but not unexpected. Since 1900, there have been no earthquakes of M6 (magnitude 6) and greater within a 500 km radius of this earthquake, and only 9 earthquakes of M5 (magnitude 5) and greater,” the USGS said.

The American body predicted that “significant damage is likely and the disaster is potentially widespread”, noting that many people in the region reside in structures that are “highly vulnerable to earthquakes.”

Al Aoula released video on Saturday of several collapsed buildings near the quake’s epicenter and reported that thousands of people had fled their homes after the country’s National Institute of Geophysics warned of aftershocks.

In Marrakech’s Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, some residents were injured when buildings and city walls were damaged and partially collapsed, according to CNN researcher Benjamin Brown who was on site. ground.

Brown, who was on the roof of his hotel when the ground started shaking, said it took everyone a few seconds to realize what was happening.

People initially remained calm as they exited narrow alleys to find a safe place outside, many in pajamas, according to Brown.

“It happened a few minutes later, the screaming started… when the extent of the injuries became apparent, that’s really when the panic set in,” he said. he declares.

“I saw many people coming out of their homes on stretchers or wrapped in rugs… Some of them had what appeared to be quite serious head injuries with a lot of blood. »

At least one ambulance had to turn away an injured woman because it was already full of injured people, Brown said.

Parts of the historic red walls that surround Marrakech’s old city center – first built in the early 12th century – have also collapsed, he added.

Videos and photos show open spaces across the city, including squares and roundabouts, filled with people, some setting up makeshift beds to spend the night.

Some houses in the town collapsed and people were moving the debris by hand while waiting for heavy equipment, local resident Id Waaziz Hassan told the Reuters news agency.

“The chandelier fell from the ceiling and I ran out. I am still on the road with my children and we are afraid,” Houda Hafsi, another Marrakech resident, told Reuters.

An ancient imperial city with a history dating back nearly 1,000 years, Marrakech is full of palaces, mosques, gardens and bustling markets from medieval times. Its historic neighborhoods are surrounded by red earthen walls and filled with buildings constructed of red sandstone, earning the city its nickname of “Red City”.

Marrakech attracted nearly three million tourists in 2019, before the Covid pandemic.

In addition to its rich culture and history, Marrakech is also the fourth largest city in Morocco and a major economic center.

Tremors were also felt in the capital Rabat, about 350 km north of the High Atlas Mountains, Reuters said, citing eyewitnesses.