It could take days for rescue teams to reach the most remote villages, reports show.
A powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake has hit central Morocco and killed at least 632 people, according to the country’s Interior Ministry.
The epicenter occurred in the High Atlas Mountains, 71 kilometers southwest of Marrakech, at a depth of 18.5 kilometers, according to the United States Geological Survey.
The victims were in Marrakech and several areas in the south, the ministry said.
Many of the deaths are believed to have occurred in remote and difficult to access areas.
The death toll is expected to rise in the coming hours and days, as the earthquake may have affected up to a third of the country.
The reports released so far speak of great difficulties in reaching the villages of the High Atlas, seriously affected by the earthquake.
According to authorities, it could take days for rescue teams to arrive at these places, which are home to many ancient buildings.
Morocco’s Interior Ministry said the earthquake killed people in the provinces and municipalities of al-Haouz, Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Azilal, Chichaoua and Taroudant. At least 329 people were injured.
Many decided to spend the night outdoors. The Moroccan government has advised people not to return home in case of more serious aftershocks.
Hospitals in Marrakech are reporting a high number of injuries and authorities have asked people to donate blood.
There are also reports of families trapped under rubble in the city and damage to parts of the old medina, a UNESCO world heritage site.
You can also see a lot of dust around the minaret of Marrakech’s historic Kutubiyya mosque, a major tourist attraction near the old town’s main square.
One man described feeling a “violent shaking” and seeing “buildings shaking.”
“The people were all in shock and panic. The children were crying and the parents were upset,” Abdelhak El Amrani told the AFP news agency.
He said electricity and phone lines were knocked out for about 10 minutes.
The epicenter of the earthquake in a remote area of the High Atlas Mountains was relatively shallow and the tremors were also felt in the capital Rabat, about 350 km away, as well as in Casablanca and Essaouira.
Simple buildings in mountain villages near the epicenter may not have been able to withstand the earthquake, and since they are located in remote areas, it will take time to find victims in those places.
British journalist Martin Jay, who lives in Morocco, was woken by the sound of screaming.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today program that “on this strange night in almost every city in Morocco, many people are sitting on the ground outside their homes or buildings because they are afraid of a second earthquake.”
The earthquake was also felt in Algeria, but according to the authorities it caused no damage or casualties.
At the opening of the G20 in Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the international community will support Morocco.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez offered “solidarity and support to the Moroccan people”.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he was “devastated” by the news and also offered help to the country hit by the earthquake.
Source: Terra
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