Shillong, September 10: Morocco has announced three days of national mourning following a devastating earthquake that struck late Friday night, claiming the lives of 2,000 people.
As per IANS, during this period of mourning, all public facilities will lower their flags to half-mast, as stated by the Royal Office after a meeting chaired by Moroccan King Mohammed VI in response to the disaster, according to Xinhua news agency.
The earthquake, measuring 6.8 in magnitude, struck Morocco at 11:11 p.m. local time at a depth of 18.5 km. The epicenter was near the town of Ighil in Al Haouz Province, approximately 70 km southwest of Marrakesh.
The earthquake has tragically led to the loss of 2,012 lives and left 2,059 people injured, with 1,404 of them in serious condition, according to the latest update from the country’s Interior Ministry on Saturday.
Morocco has not faced a disaster of this magnitude since 2004 when a 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit the port city of Al Hoceima, resulting in the loss of around 630 lives.
The majority of casualties from this earthquake are reported in remote and inaccessible mountainous regions near the epicenter, with damaged roads complicating rescue efforts.
Rescue teams have been dispatched to the affected areas to search for survivors, as reported by local media. Television footage shows rescuers tirelessly digging through rubble and debris in their quest to save lives.
The earthquake’s impact was felt in various cities across Morocco, including the capital Rabat and Casablanca. Numerous houses collapsed in cities such as Taroudant and Marrakesh.
In the small village of Imlil, located in the High Atlas mountains about 60 km south of Marrakesh, video footage reveals rows of buildings reduced to rubble.
A resident, preferring to remain anonymous, commented, “There have been earthquakes before, but none of them were as strong as this one.”
On the route from Ouarzazate to the epicenter, evidence of rocks and debris from the mountains and buildings scattered along the road is visible.