Morocco earthquake death toll surpasses 2000, nation declares three days of mourning

More than 2,000 people have died and at least 2,000 more have been injured, many of them critically, after a powerful earthquake struck Morocco late on Friday, the interior ministry said on Saturday. At least 2,012 people are confirmed dead, while 2,059 were injured, including 1,404 in a critical condition, a ministry statement said. Of that number, 1,293 dead were recorded in the province of Al-Haouz, the epicentre of the earthquake, and 452 in Taroudant province, the two worst-hit areas. After the magnitude 6.8 earthquake, authorities on Saturday proclaimed three days of national mourning in the country. According to a statement from the military, King Mohammed VI of Morocco directed the armed forces to deploy specialised search and rescue teams and a surgical field hospital. Historic structures in Marrakesh, the closest city to the epicentre, were damaged by the earthquake that shook Morocco’s High Atlas mountains late on Friday night, but the majority of casualties were recorded in mountainous regions to the south in the Al-Haouz and Taroudant provinces, reported Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, the efforts to clear roads for search and rescue operations are underway. The earthquake took place at 03:41:01 (UTC+05:30) at a depth of 18.5 km. The magnitude of the earthquake caused pulses to travel from Sidi Ifni in the south to Rabat in the north and beyond. The epicentre was noted at 72 kilometres west of Marrakesh, a major economic centre. According to Al Jazeera, the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Department (AFAD) says it has placed two hundred and sixty-five members of medical, relief, and search and rescue agencies on alert, in case it receives a distress call from Morocco. It says a thousand tents have been allocated to be transported to Morocco if they receive a request from the authorities in Rabat. On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the quake. Taking to X, PM Modi said, “Extremely pained by the loss of lives due to an earthquake in Morocco. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the people of Morocco. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. India is ready to offer all possible assistance to Morocco in this difficult time.” Videos and pictures shared on social media showed mountains of rubble and dust clouds as walls gave way to the earthquake’s intensity. With inputs from agencies