Amizmiz (Morocco), Sep 11: Rescuers are racing against time to search for survivors after a deadly 6.8-magnitude earthquake wreaked havoc in central Morocco.
The strong tremor, which struck the ancient city of Marrakesh on Friday night, has killed more than 2,000 people.
Rescuers on Sunday were seen struggling to reach the most affected areas in the Atlas Mountains region as roads leading up there were blocked by fallen boulders, Xinhua news agency reported.
Makeshift tents were pitched up to shelter local residents, who had spent two nights outdoors for fear of more aftershocks.
“We need food and cover, they are the most important to us for now,” Amin, without giving his full name, told the news agency.
He added that being stranded outdoors for another cold night was particularly difficult for elders and the children.
The earthquake hit Morocco Friday at 11:11 p.m. local time at a depth of 18.5 km, according to the US Geological Survey.
Death toll rises to 2,122
At least 2,122 people have been killed and 2,421 injured since a massive earthquake struck central Morocco on Friday night, according to the latest update from the Moroccan Interior Ministry.
The deaths include 1,351 people reported in the Al Haouz Province, 492 in Taroudant Province, 201 in Chichaoua, and 17 in Marrakesh, added the ministry in a press release on Sunday.
Moroccan troops and emergency services were reportedly struggling to reach the most affected areas in the Atlas Mountains region, as roads leading up there were blocked by fallen boulders, Xinhua news agency reported, citing local media.
According to the World Health Organization estimates, the disaster has affected more than 300,000 people in the ancient old city and its outskirts.
The number of casualties is expected to rise. The Moroccan Red Crescent (MRC) has said the situation on the ground posed a vast challenge to search and rescue efforts, and “getting heavy machinery into those remote areas of the Atlas Mountains to help with that is a priority”.
As more people were being pulled out of the rubble, the MRC and other first responders were working around the clock to identify and prioritise the most severe cases, the MRC said in a statement. (IANS)
