Powerful Earthquake Kills at Least 296 People in Morocco

At Least 296 Lives Lost as Devastating Earthquake Strikes Morocco

TruthUSA September 8, 2023 0 Comments

Morocco’s Interior Ministry reported on Friday night that a powerful earthquake has killed at least 296 people.

The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces announced the death toll, citing the government department.

“The Ministry of the Interior announced the death of 296 people in the provinces and prefectures of Al Haouz, Marrakesh and Ouarzazate as a result of the strong earthquake that struck our country, the toll up to 2 a.m. on Saturday (local time),” wrote the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces.

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The Interior Ministry, in a televised statement about the death toll, called for calm and listed the affected regions as Al Haouz, Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Azilal, Chichaoua, and Taroudant.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported on Friday evening that a notable magnitude 6.8 earthquake had occurred at 10:11 p.m. local time in the Atlas Mountains, nearly 43.5 miles (70 kilometers) southwest of Marrakech, at a depth of 11.5 miles (18.5 kilometers). Morocco’s seismic agency put it at a depth of five miles.

View of a damaged car and debris from the earthquake in Marrakech, Morocco, on Sept. 9, 2023, in this screen grab taken from a video. (Al Oula TV/Handout via Reuters)

The earthquake occurred in an area with small farming villages in close proximity to Toubkal, which is the highest peak in North Africa, as well as Oukaimeden, a well-known Moroccan ski resort.

Morocco’s National Seismic Monitoring and Alert Network registered a magnitude of 7 on the Richter scale, while the U.S. agency recorded a subsequent aftershock with a magnitude of 4.9 just 19 minutes later.

Moroccans and tourists shared videos online showing buildings reduced to rubble that fell on cars and roads, and panicked people fleeing through dust-filled streets with what they could carry, screaming in terror.

Local television showed pictures of a fallen mosque minaret with rubble lying on smashed cars.