More than 300 people were injured by the earthquake event that shook the main Moroccan cities, from Rabat to Marrakech.
At least 632 people have died and another 329 were injured after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake that occurred this Friday night in Morocco, according to Moroccan state television, cited by AFP.
The earthquake shook some of the country’s main cities, such as Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech and Essaouira. In the case of Marrakech, witnesses testified that some buildings had collapsed and large cracks were observed in a section of the city walls, considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Moment of the start of the powerful earthquake in MoroccoStreet cameras have captured what appears to be the moment of the start of the 6.9 earthquake in Morocco, which has already left at least 300 dead. The first tremor was recorded shortly after 11:00 p.m. (local time) on Friday. pic.twitter.com/YKOz1EljVt
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The Moroccan authorities are carrying out tasks to remove debris from the roads so that ambulances can reach the areas where damage and injuries are reported. However, establishing the full extent of the damage caused by the earthquake will take time due to the great distances between mountain towns.
For its part, the Ministry of the Interior announced that the earthquake affected the provinces and municipalities of Al-Haouz, Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Azilal, Chichaoua and Taroudant.
Aftermath after the 6.9 earthquake in MoroccoStructural damage is reported in the Jemaa El-Fnaa square and in the Marrakech market, after the earthquake. pic.twitter.com/Tvgh2vMbV8
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An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 was recorded this Friday at 22:11 (GMT) 77 kilometers southwest of the city of Marrakech, in Morocco, according to data from the EMSC-CSEM monitoring center. The earthquake had a depth of 10 kilometers.
On the other hand, the US Geological Survey (USGS) reports that the magnitude of the earthquake has reached 6.8 and its hypocenter was located at a depth of 18.5 kilometers.
Panic in the streets of Marrakech According to reports from residents, many local residents have chosen to stay outside their homes in case an earthquake of equal or greater magnitude occurs. pic.twitter.com/A6ZQ6Qpd2d
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This is one of the strongest earthquakes to occur in Morocco in recent years. In 1960, a 6.7 magnitude earthquake in the city of Agadir killed 12,000 people. In 2004, at least 628 people were killed and 926 injured after an earthquake hit the northeastern city of Al Hoceima.
The most destructive earthquake in the history of the region took place in 1980 in the city of El-Asnam (Algeria), killing 2,500 people and leaving 300,000 homeless. The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.3.
Source: RT
