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| ©Fernando Sanchez/Europa Press via AP |
Rescuers are working tirelessly to find survivors in the rubble of Morocco's deadliest earthquake in over six decades, which devastated villages in the High Atlas Mountains. The 6.8 magnitude quake struck late Friday night, 72 km southwest of Marrakech. Many survivors spent a third night outside, their homes destroyed or rendered unsafe. The death toll has climbed to 2,497, with 2,476 people injured.
Roads blocked or obstructed by dislodged rocks have made it harder to access the hardest-hit locations. People are salvaging possessions from the ruins of their homes, some describing desperate scenes as they dug with their bare hands to find relatives. Many structures crumbled quickly, including traditional mud brick, stone, and rough wood houses, one of the picturesque features that have made the High Atlas a magnet for tourists for generations.
The damage done to Morocco's cultural heritage has been emerging gradually, with buildings in Marrakech old city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, damaged, and the historically significant 12th-century Tinmel Mosque in a remote mountain area closer to the epicentre. The North African country's deadliest earthquake since 1960, when a tremor was estimated to have killed at least 12,000 people, and the most powerful since at least 1900, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Morocco has deployed the army and has said it is reinforcing search-and-rescue teams, providing drinking water and distributing food, tents, and blankets. King Mohammed VI and Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch have not addressed the nation since the disaster. In a televised statement on Sunday, government spokesperson Mustapha Baytas said every effort was being made on the ground.
Morocco has accepted aid offers from Spain, Qatar, Britain, and the United Arab Emirates. State TV said the government had assessed aid needs and considered the importance of coordinating relief efforts before accepting help. Spain and Britain sent search-and-rescue specialists with sniffer dogs, while Qatar said its team had departed for Morocco. The European Union announced an initial 1 million euros ($1.07 million) to non-governmental aid organisations already in Morocco. It is in contact with Moroccan authorities to offer full EU civil protection assistance if required.
France and Germany played down the significance of Morocco not immediately taking up their aid offers. Germany saw no indication that Morocco's decision was political, while France said it stood ready to help whenever Morocco made a formal request. Morocco has not had an ambassador in Paris since January.
