Rabat - A powerful earthquake, initially measured at 6.8 in magnitude, has struck Morocco, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 300 lives and leaving over 150 individuals injured. The earthquake also caused extensive damage to buildings and forced local residents to seek safety in the streets.
The Moroccan Interior Ministry, in an early statement on Saturday, cautioned that the reported numbers of casualties and injuries were provisional figures. According to the ministry, "According to a provisional report, the earthquake killed 296 people in the provinces and municipalities of Al Haouz, Marrakesh, Ouarzazate, Azilal, Chichaoua, and Taroudant." They further added that 153 individuals were injured and receiving treatment.
The earthquake struck shortly after 11 pm local time (22:00 GMT) on Friday evening, as reported by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS indicated that the epicenter of the earthquake was located in the Atlas Mountains, approximately 75 kilometers (44 miles) from Marrakesh, which is Morocco's fourth-largest city.
Moroccan citizens shared videos and images that portrayed buildings reduced to rubble and dust. Parts of the renowned red walls surrounding Marrakesh's old city, a UNESCO World Heritage site, were also visibly damaged.
Videos from tourists and residents captured scenes of people evacuating restaurants in panic and shouting, highlighting the chaos and fear caused by the earthquake.
The epicenter of the quake was situated near the mountain town of Ighil in Al Haouz Province, approximately 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) to the south of Marrakesh. Reports from local media indicated that the roads leading to the mountainous region surrounding the epicenter were congested with vehicles and obstructed by fallen rocks, hampering rescue efforts.
Abderrahim Ait Daoud, the head of a town in the area, reported that several nearby homes had sustained partial or complete collapse. In addition, power and road networks were disrupted in certain areas. Authorities were actively working to clear roads in Al Haouz province to allow for the passage of ambulances and aid to reach affected populations. Given the significant distances between mountain villages, assessing the full extent of the damage would take time, he noted.
Social media posts shared images of clouds of dust and heaps of debris as walls buckled under the earthquake's force. Other posts depicted alarmed residents in Marrakesh and Casablanca fleeing from buildings and gathering in the streets.
A Marrakesh resident, Brahim Himmi, recounted the scene, mentioning that he witnessed ambulances leaving the historic old town of the city. He also observed that building facades had sustained damage during the earthquake.
Although earthquakes in the region are infrequent but not entirely unexpected, an earthquake of this magnitude has not been recorded in the immediate area for more than 120 years.
The USGS provided further insight, stating, "Since 1900, there have been no earthquakes M6 [magnitude 6] or larger within 500km of this earthquake, and only nine M5 [magnitude 5] and larger." They also noted that most of the previous earthquakes were further to the east.
The earthquake on Friday evening was relatively shallow, occurring at a depth of 18.5 kilometers (11.5 miles). The USGS attributed the cause of the earthquake to "oblique-reverse faulting" in the Atlas Mountains.
Morocco experienced a major earthquake in 2004, resulting in over 600 casualties. Known as the Al Hoceima earthquake, it occurred along an active plate boundary on the country's northern coast, bordering the western Mediterranean Sea, with a magnitude of 6.3.
A more substantial earthquake struck neighboring Algeria in 1980, known as the El Asnam earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.3. This event, originating in the Atlas Mountain range, caused extensive destruction, leaving 300,000 people homeless and claiming over 2,600 lives.