Annisa Essack | kzn@radioislam.org.za
9 September 2023 | 08:15 CAT
1 min read

Photo Credit: The Independent

A devastating earthquake hit Morocco’s historic city of Marrakech, resulting in a tragic loss of life. So far, at least 296 people have been reported dead and 153 injured. The earthquake, which occurred late on Friday night, initially measured a magnitude of 6.8 on the Richter scale at 11:11 pm local time. The tremors lasted for several seconds and caused extensive damage, especially in remote mountainous regions that are difficult to reach. These figures are preliminary and have been reported by the country’s interior ministry.

Heart-wrenching videos have surfaced, depicting numerous buildings reduced to rubble, and the iconic red walls of Marrakech have suffered damage. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed old city has been affected, with images showing crushed vehicles and debris strewn about.

Morocco’s National Seismic Monitoring and Alert Network has identified the earthquake’s epicentre in the Ighil area of the High Atlas, measuring a magnitude of 7.2 on the Richter scale. According to the US Geological Survey, a 4.9-magnitude aftershock occurred just 19 minutes following the initial earthquake.