Morocco Earthquake Live: PM Modi, Olaf Scholz offers condolences after 'devastating' quake kills 296

Morocco Earthquake Live: PM Modi, Olaf Scholz offers condolences after 'devastating' quake kills 296

Morocco Earthquake Live: PM Modi, Olaf Scholz offers condolences after 'devastating' quake kills 296

Rabat : A powerful earthquake that struck Morocco on Friday night killed at least 296 people, the country's Interior Ministry said.

Moroccans posted videos showing buildings reduced to rubble and dust and parts of the famous red walls that surround the old city in historic Marrakech, a UNESCO World Heritage site, damaged.

Tourists and others posted videos of people screaming and evacuating restaurants in the city as throbbing club music played.

The US Geological Survey said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 when it hit at 11.11pm, with shaking that lasted several seconds. Morocco's National Seismic Monitoring and Alert Network measured it at 7 on the Richter scale. The US agency reported a magnitude 4.9 aftershock hit 19 minutes later.

Variations in early measurements are common, although either reading would be Morocco's strongest in years. Though earthquakes are relatively rare in North Africa, a magnitude 5.8 tremor struck near Agadir and caused thousands of deaths in 1960.

The epicentre of Friday's tremor was high in the Atlas Mountains roughly 70 kilometres south of Marrakech. It was also near Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa and Oukaimeden, a popular Moroccan ski resort.


Variations in early measurements are common, although either reading would be Morocco's strongest in years. Though earthquakes are relatively rare in North Africa, a magnitude 5.8 tremor struck near Agadir and caused thousands of deaths in 1960.

The epicentre of Friday's tremor was high in the Atlas Mountains roughly 70 kilometres south of Marrakech. It was also near Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa and Oukaimeden, a popular Moroccan ski resort.