A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck Morocco late on Friday night, resulting in the deaths of at least 296 people, according to the country's Interior Ministry. The earthquake caused significant damage to buildings and infrastructure, with videos posted by citizens showing buildings reduced to rubble and parts of the famous red walls surrounding the old city in Marrakech damaged.
Tourists in the city also captured footage of people screaming and evacuating restaurants. The earthquake hit 44 miles southwest of Marrakech at a depth of 18.5 kilometers. The US Geological Survey initially reported a magnitude of 6.8, while Morocco's National Seismic Monitoring and Alert Network measured it at 7 on the Richter scale.
A magnitude-4.9 aftershock was reported 19 minutes later. Earthquakes are relatively rare in North Africa, with the last major earthquake occurring in 1960 near Agadir and resulting in thousands of deaths. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to Morocco and offered assistance in this difficult time.
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