On Friday night, a terrible earthquake struck the North African country of Morocco, killing almost 2,000 people. Thousands of people have died.
Marrakech, a major tourist and commercial city, was not far from the epicenter of the country’s worst earthquake in more than a century.
This is all we know for the time being.
When and where did the earthquake happen?
The quake struck at around 6:11 p.m. ET (11:11 p.m. local time). The city of Marrakech, which has an estimated population of 840,000 people, was hit 72 kilometers (44.7 miles) to the southwest, in the High Atlas mountain range.
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However, as this figure shows, its repercussions were felt all the way up to Casablanca.
What was the magnitude of this earthquake?
A magnitude of 6.8 represents a “strong” earthquake. It was also more lethal since it struck at such a short depth.
According to the US Geological Survey, quakes of this size are rare but not exceptional in the region. There have been nine earthquakes of magnitude 5 or larger registered in the area since 1900, however none have topped magnitude 6.
More than 12,000 people have been killed, making this the worst earthquake in Morocco since 1960.
Where has the main devastation occurred?
According to the World Health Organization, about 300,000 people in and around Marrakech have been affected. Historic sites have been damaged, with the biggest harm occurring in areas nearest to the Atlas Mountains.
According to witnesses on the Alps’ foothills, several villages have been completely destroyed, and almost all of the dwellings in a specific area of the hamlet of Asni have been damaged.
Hundreds of people have been slain in the Al Haouz region, including almost 200 in the southern Moroccan city of Taroudant.
The actual magnitude of the earthquake is yet unknown.
How is the situation down there?
Despite the fact that certain roads were damaged or blocked by debris, rescue workers were sent to the impacted districts. Outlying communities on the mountain have been tough to access.
Mohammed, 50, of Ouirgane, lost four family members in the earthquake. My two children and I escaped, but the rest of my family was killed. “My home was just destroyed,” he wept.
Search and rescue operations are now ongoing. We’re out here with the cops, assisting in the rescue of people from the wreckage. There was a lengthy queue of individuals ahead of me who were being hurried to the hospital. “We expect miracles from the ruins,” he said.
Out of worry for their safety, several Marrakesh residents slept on the city’s pavements overnight. Others completely fled the city. Aftershock warnings have been issued.
Following the earthquake, the Moroccan government said that it has deployed all available resources to assist civilians in “avoiding panic.”
King Mohammed VI of Morocco established a relief committee to assist individuals who had survived the disaster, including orphans and those who had lost their homes.
I was curious about the worldwide reaction.
Several heads of state have conveyed condolences and expressions of sympathy to Morocco.
In reaction to the recent earthquake in Morocco, the Turkish government has said that it is willing to send 265 humanitarian personnel and 1,000 tents.
Despite cutting diplomatic ties with Morocco in 2021 and restricting its airspace to all Moroccan-registered aircraft, Algeria announced it would allow humanitarian and medical flights to and from Morocco.
The United Nations, Vice President Joe Biden of the United States, and French President Emmanuel Macron have all shown readiness to assist.
Many other leaders of state, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (at the G20 conference), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, have conveyed their condolences.
