A powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck the High Atlas Mountain range in Morocco on Friday night, killing more than 2,000 people and affecting an estimated 380,000 people. The earthquake occurred on September 8 at 23:11 local time, at a depth of 26 km kilometers. The epicenter was located about 75 kilometers (some 50 miles) southwest of Marrakesh, a city with a population of nearly one million people.
Earthquakes of this size in the region are uncommon, but not unexpected.
There was a major aftershock of magnitude 4.9, 20 minutes later, and several more have been reported. A magnitude 3.9 aftershock shook Moroccans on September 10.
The Interior Ministry said Sunday, 2,012 people have lost their lives, and 2,059 have been wounded, including 1,404 in critical condition. Most fatalities are reported in al-Haouz province.
Many families are trapped under the rubble of their homes, and damage to parts of Marrakesh's Medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, have also been reported. Hospitals in the city are receiving an influx of injured people. The Moroccan army has deployed search and rescue teams to the affected areas.
The US Geological Survey reported the 6.8 earthquake, with the epicenter near the town of Oukaïmedene, occurred at shallow depth within the Moroccan High Atlas Mountain range. Due to the shallow depth of the event and its proximity to high population centers, many buildings experienced severe shaking that can result in catastrophic failure.
People reported shaking from the initial magnitude 6.8 earthquake throughout Morocco and in neighboring countries, with weak shaking reported as far as Portugal, Spain, and Algeria.
Though rare, large earthquakes are not completely unknown in western Morocco. In 1960, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake killed 12,000 to 15,000 people in coastal western Morocco.
Morocco’s National Institute of Geophysics stated that this level of seismic activity is the first recorded in a century in the country.
The number of damaged and destroyed buildings remains unknown. The earthquake reportedly impacted mainly villages near Marrakesh. It is feared that the death toll will rise, as an unknown number of people are still waiting for rescue under collapsed buildings. Government authorities are leading response efforts, including search and rescue (SAR) and medical support, including by the Moroccan Red Crescent (MRCS).
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said Moroccan Red Crescent teams were on the ground immediately, coordinating closely with the IFRC and local authorities to assess the situation, support in the SAR operation and provide help to affected people.
MRCS teams are also providing first aid, psychosocial support and helping transport the injured to hospitals. Some of the worst affected areas are quite remote and mountainous, therefore hard to reach.
“The challenges are vast. The search and rescue effort is the focus at this point – and trying to get heavy machinery into those remote areas of the Atlas Mountains to help with that is a priority. But we also know that many people have suffered serious injuries – everything from broken bones to severe head wounds and identifying and prioritizing the most severe cases is key”, said Caroline Holt, Director - Disaster, Climate and Crises for the IFRC.
The United Nations estimates that 380,000 people were affected by the magnitude 6.8 quake.
The non-governmental organization Plan International said in a statement Sunday it was critical that survivors were reached urgently and that food, water and shelter were delivered without delay.
“From experience in these terrible early days, basic needs must be met quickly,” Unni Krishnan, Global Humanitarian Director at Plan International, said.
The widespread devastation, particularly in rural areas, makes rescue efforts much harder with roads and homes reduced to rubble and vital services destroyed.
“These are frightening times. After an earthquake, many sleep outside for fear of recurrent tremors. It is critical to address the emotional needs of children along with other lifesaving assistance. In the initial hours, search and rescue efforts must be the top priority, and life-saving medical assistance, food, clean water and sanitation,” Krishnan added.