At least 1,037 people were killed in the major earthquake on Friday evening in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains, according to the Ministry of the Interior. According to the last count, 1,204 people were injured.
Nearly half of the deaths have been reported in Al-Haouz province. The epicenter was located about 70 kilometers southwest of the city of Marrakech. Buildings have collapsed and damaged in the affected areas. The extent of the damage is not yet known.
Hundreds of aftershocks followed the quake. These are becoming increasingly weaker and may not be felt by citizens. Nacer Jabour, the head of the Moroccan geological institute, said this, according to the Moroccan news agency MAP. The strongest aftershock measured 6.0 on the Richter scale.
‘Violent earthquake’
The earthquake itself had a magnitude of 7.2, according to the institute. “It is the first time in a century that the institute has recorded such a violent earthquake in Morocco,” Jabour said. The American geological institute USGS reports that the quake had a magnitude of 6.8. The heavy quake was felt in cities within a radius of 400 kilometers from the epicenter.
Expressions of support for Morocco are pouring in from all over the world. The European Union and the United Nations, as well as individual countries, have indicated that they want to provide assistance. The president of the United Arab Emirates has ordered the setting up of an airlift so that emergency aid can be sent to Morocco, according to state media.