After a strong earthquake, the Moroccan authorities said that 2,000 people died and about 1500 had been injured, more than twice the previous estimate, according to AP.
Videos depicting destroyed buildings and damaged portions of the renowned red walls that encircle the old city in mediaeval Marrakech, a UNESCO World Heritage site, were posted online by Moroccans. The US Geological Survey reported that the earthquake, which struck around 11:11 p.m. and caused shaking that lasted several seconds, had a preliminary magnitude of 6.8. The National Seismic Monitoring and Alert Network of Morocco recorded the earthquake as a 7 on the Richter scale. A magnitude 4.9 aftershock was recorded 19 minutes later, according to the US agency.
The primary difficulty in the current rescue effort in Morocco following the earthquake is getting to remote settlements situated in challenging terrain. In the High Atlas, a rough mountain terrain with secluded cities and many collapsed homes, many of them are having trouble getting to villages.
The most recent earthquake in Morocco is considered to have been worse than the one in 1960. At that time, an earthquake decimated Agadir and killed more than 15,000 people, wiping out one-third of the city's population.
You can also read: A 6.8 Earthquake Shakes Morocco, Claims 296 Lives, Destroys Over A Thousand Homes
(Photo: AFP/Reuters)
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