Daily Times

The death toll from Morocco’s deadliest earthquake in decades has risen to 1,037, it was reported on Saturday, causing widespread damage and sending terrified residents and tourists scrambling to safety in the middle of the night. The state television further quoted the interior ministry as saying that more than 1,200 people were injured in the quake in Morocco’s High Atlas mountains late on Friday night. The 6.8-magnitude quake struck the mountainous area 72 kilometres (45 miles) southwest of tourist hotspot Marrakesh at 11:11pm (10:11pm GMT) on Friday, the US Geological Survey reported.

Strong tremors were also felt in the coastal cities of Rabat, Casablanca and Essaouira. “We felt a very violent tremor, and I realised it was an earthquake,” Abdelhak El Amrani, a 33-year-old in Marrakesh, told AFP by telephone.

“I could see buildings moving. We don’t necessarily have the reflexes for this type of situation. Then I went outside and there were a lot of people there.

People were all in shock and panic. The children were crying and the parents were distraught.“ “The power went out for 10 minutes, and so did the (telephone) network, but then it came back on,” he added. “Everyone decided to stay outside.”

Faisal Baddour, an engineer, said he felt the earthquake three times in his building.

“People went out into the street just after this total panic, and there are families who are still sleeping outside because we were so scared of the force of this earthquake,” he said. “It was as if a train was passing close to our houses.”

Frenchman Michael Bizet, 43, who owns three traditional riad houses in Marrakesh’s old town, told AFP that he had been in bed at the time of the quake.

“I thought my bed was going to fly away. I went out into the street half-naked and immediately went to see my riads. It was total chaos, a real catastrophe, madness,” he said. The 43-year-old shared video of piles of rubble from collapsed walls in the streets. Footage on social media also showed part of a minaret collapsed on Jemaa el-Fna square in the historic city.

An AFP correspondent saw hundreds of people flocking to the square to spend the night for fear of aftershocks, some with blankets while others slept on the ground. Houda Outassaf, a local resident, told AFP he was walking around the square when the ground began to shake. “It was a truly staggering sensation. We’re safe and sound, but I’m still in shock,” he said. “I have at least 10 members of my family who died… I can hardly believe it, as I was with them no more than two days ago.” Fayssal Badour, another Marrakesh resident, told AFP he was driving when the earthquake hit. I stopped and realised what a disaster it was… The screaming and crying was unbearable,” he said. The interior ministry said authorities have “mobilised all the necessary resources to intervene and help the affected areas”.

The regional blood transfusion centre in Marrakesh has called on residents to donate blood for those injured.

In the town of Al-Haouz, near the epicentre of the quake, a family was trapped in the rubble after their house collapsed, local media reported. “We heard screams at the time of the tremor,” a resident of Essaouira, 200km west of Marrakesh, told AFP. “People are in the squares, in the cafes, preferring to sleep outside. Pieces of facades have fallen.”

The USGS PAGER system, which provides preliminary assessments on the impact of earthquakes, issued a red alert for economic losses, saying extensive damage is probable and the disaster is likely widespread.

Past events with this alert level have required a national or international level response, according to the US government agency. Internet connectivity was disrupted in Marrakesh due to power cuts, according to global internet monitor NetBlocks. Moroccan media reported it was the most powerful earthquake to hit the country to date.

The earthquake was also felt in neighbouring Algeria, where the Algerian Civil Defence said it had not caused any damage or casualties. Meanwhile, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said: “The people and Government of Pakistan stand in solidarity with the Kingdom of Morocco and express their heartfelt sympathies and condolences at the tragic loss of lives in yesterday’s (Friday) earthquake.” She added that Pakistan has also conveyed “our offer of assistance to Morocco” and that “our embassy in Rabat has reached out to the Pakistani community to inquire about their safety”. “As per initial reports, all Pakistani nationals are safe,” she added. “We will continue to monitor the situation to facilitate them in the wake of this tragedy.”

The Pakistani embassy in Morocco said in a post on X that Ambassador Hamid Asghar Khan, officers, staff and the Pakistani community there expressed their deepest condolence and were “ready to assist in any manner required”.

Khan, Pakistan’s diplomat there, also reiterated Baloch’s statement: “Thus far Pakistanis in Morocco are reported safe amidst devastation claiming over 800 lives.

“The Government of Pakistan stands by ready to assist as required,” he added. Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), said “Our hearts ache for those affected by the severe earthquake in Morocco. Pakistan extends its hand in unity and support to Morocco in this trying time”. President Arif Alvi also expressed his condolences on the natural disaster and solidarity with the affected people of Morocco. He prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

Caretaker Human Rights Minister Khalil George also sympathised with the affected families for the loss of lives and property. He stated that he is “with the government and people of Morocco in this hour of trial”.