Morocco earthquake kills more than 2,000 people, country declares 3 days of mourning
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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 specialized 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.
Neighbours were still searching for survivors buried on the slopes, where houses of mud brick, stone and rough wood were cracked open and mosque minarets toppled by the earthquake that struck late on Friday. The historic old city of Marrakech also suffered extensive damage.
The Interior Ministry said 2,012 people had been killed and 2,059 injured, including 1,404 in critical condition. The US Geological Survey said the earthquake had a magnitude of 6.8 with an epicentre some 72 km (45 miles) southwest of Marrakech.
Leaders and diplomats the world over expressed condolences and offered their support for Morocco.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, of Morocco’s cross-strait neighbour Spain, expressed his “solidarity and support to the people of Morocco in the wake of this terrible earthquake… Spain is with the victims of this tragedyâ€.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said “our thoughts are with the victims of this devastating earthquake. Our sympathy goes out to all those affectedâ€.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he was “devastated†and said that “France stands ready to help with first aidâ€.
The pope expressed his “profound solidarity†with Morocco after the earthquake, according to the Vatican.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni underlined “Italy’s willingness to support Morocco in this emergencyâ€.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed sympathy “with the Moroccan people in the face of the terrible earthquakeâ€.
And the European Union member countries, through the European Council said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened by the devastating consequences of this tragic event.
“As close friends and partners of Morocco, we are ready to assist in any way You may deem useful,†said the statement, addressed to King Mohammed.
The leaders of both Russia and Ukraine also offered their sympathies.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his “deepest condolences to HM King Mohammed VI and all Moroccans for the lives lost in the horrible earthquakeâ€.
“Ukraine stands in solidarity with Morocco during this tragic time,†he said on social media.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed similar sentiments and said, in a message to Morocco’s king, “we share the pain and the mourning of the friendly Moroccan peopleâ€.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is hosting the G20 summit this weekend, said he was “extremely pained by the loss of lives due to an earthquake in Moroccoâ€.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered support to “our Moroccan brothers in every way in this difficult hourâ€.
Algeria, which broke off diplomatic relations with Morocco in August 2021 at the height of the crisis between the two countries, offered “its sincere condolences to the brotherly Moroccan people for the victims of the earthquakeâ€, said its foreign ministry.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “instructed all government bodies and forces to provide any necessary assistance to the people of Morocco, including the preparations for sending an aid delegation to the areaâ€, his office said.
It is the latest show of support in the wake of the 2020 Abraham Accords that saw Israel normalise ties with a number of Arab countries, including Morocco.
The president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, said we “stand with the Kingdom of Morocco during this difficult time and wish a speedy recovery ahead to all those affectedâ€.
He also ordered an “air bridge to deliver critical relief†to the country, state news agency WAM reported.
Iran expressed its condolences for the “terrible earthquakeâ€.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said he was “ready to provide any form of assistance to deal with the repercussions of the devastating earthquakeâ€. King of Jordan Abdullah II urged his government to provide all possible assistance to Morocco.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu extended his heartfelt condolences to King Mohammed: “In the face of this adversity, Nigeria will continue to stand in solidarity with Morocco as they recover, rebuild and come out stronger than ever from this unfortunate event.â€
The head of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, expressed his “sincere condolences†to the king, the Moroccan people and the families of the victims.
A statement from the World Bank said: “Our hearts go out to the people of Morocco…
“Our sole focus at this stage is on the Moroccan people and the authorities who are dealing with this tragedy.â€
The secretary-general of the Jeddah-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Hissein Brahim Taha, prayed for “mercy on the victims and a speedy recovery for the injuredâ€.
World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the earthquake as “heartbreakingâ€, adding: “We stand ready to support the immediate health needsâ€, a sentiment echoed by UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said the response to the devastating earthquake could take years.
UNESCO, the UN heritage organisation, said it would help Morocco draw up an inventory of damage to national heritage sites and a repair strategy. ■