The earthquake that occurred in Morocco leaves at least 296 dead and 153 injured

taketonews

At least 296 people died and another 153 were injured in different Moroccan towns due to the magnitude 7 earthquake that occurred on Friday night with its epicenter 60 kilometers southwest of the city of Marrakech.

As reported by the Moroccan Ministry of the Interior in a note, until 2:00 local time (GMT+1) deaths were recorded in the provinces and prefectures of Al Haouz, Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Azilal, Chichaoua and Taroudant.

The injured, of varying severity, were transferred to hospital centers, indicates the ministry, which adds that there was also material damage in uninhabited areas.

According to the Interior, which calls on citizens to remain calm, security and civil protection forces from all affected prefectures and provinces have been mobilized, as well as the necessary means to intervene and assess the damage.

On social media, Moroccans have shared numerous photos and videos showing damaged and fallen buildings, some with people injured or apparently dead in the rubble.

Several buildings in the medina (old city) of Marrakech were damaged by the earthquake.

According to a seismic alert bulletin released by the Moroccan National Institute of Geophysics, the earthquake, of magnitude 7, shook the northern Moroccan region of Marrakech and occurred at 11:11 p.m. local time (00:11 GMT Saturday) 8 kilometers away. deep. It had its epicenter in the town of Ighil, located 63 kilometers southwest of the city of Marrakech.

Neighbors of Marrakech explained to EFE the fear they experienced during the tremor, which lasted several minutes and left buildings and mosques in the medina (old city) damaged.

Khalid, a resident of the medina, indicated that the minaret of the Bab Ailan mosque fell to the ground due to the tremor and the entrance to the temple was also damaged.

Another resident of Marrakech explained that after the earthquake the mythical square of Jma El Fnaa was filled with people to protect themselves from possible aftershocks and that the authorities did not allow citizens to walk through the narrow streets of the ancient city.

Witnesses contacted by EFE indicated that the earthquake was felt in northern towns such as Larache, 550 kilometers from the epicenter, as well as in Casablanca and Rabat, 300 and 370 kilometers away, respectively, where their inhabitants took to the streets to prevent aftershocks.

Some accounts on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, showed tremors being felt. Videos posted on the platform showed people running into the streets and buildings shaking.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), which records seismic activity around the world, the earthquake occurred at 11:11 p.m. local time (00:11 GMT Saturday) at a depth of 18.5 kilometers.

It is noticeable in Andalusia

Emergencies 112 Andalusia has registered around twenty calls from the provinces of Huelva, Seville, Malaga and Jaén by the Moroccan earthquake.

112 has received calls that, in all cases, alert that there have been earthworks in the aforementioned provinces, no damage reported for the moment on Andalusian soil apart from the shock of the citizens.

Frequent earthquakes

Related news

Morocco experiences frequent earthquakes in its northern region due to its position between African and Eurasian plates. In 2004, at least 628 people were killed and 926 injured when an earthquake hit Al Hoceima, in the northeast of the country.

In 1980, the El Asnam earthquake of magnitude 7.3 in the neighboring Algeria It was one of the most destructive earthquakes in contemporary history. It left 2,500 dead and at least 300,000 homeless.



ttn-24