2023-09-09 16:00:37
Time.news – Night of fear and devastation in Morocco where a strong earthquake, 6.8 on the Richter scaleshook the entire country, with echoes also in neighboring nations, Mauritania, Algeria and even Portugal.
The devastating earthquake that hit Morocco caused 1,037 deaths and 1,204 injuries, “of which 721 in critical conditions”, the ministry specified, adding that the earthquake caused several buildings to collapse, particularly in the provinces and municipalities of Haouz, Taroudant, Chichaoua, Ouarzazate and Marrakech.
The first official toll arrived late at night, 4 in the morning in Italy, after disturbing images circulated on social media for hours: ruins, damaged cars, mosques that trembled and collapsed, rivers of people pouring into the streets in panic. . About thirty long seconds that shocked the country.
© FADEL SENNA / AFP
Earthquake in Morocco
The epicenter of the earthquake, of magnitude 6.8 according to the American Institute of Geophysics (USGS), but 7.0 for the Institute of Rabat, was southwest of the city of Marrakech, 320 km south of the capital Rabat . The province of Al-Haouz was especially affected, where the highest number of victims was recorded. There an entire family was trapped in the rubble after their house collapsed, media reports.
Horrific moment of collapse caught on security camera #Morocco #earthquake #moroccoearthquake #earthquake #earthquake #Morocco_earthquake #fas #morocco_earthquake #morocco #Morocco #earthquake pic.twitter.com/cpS0FtBs6L
– Muhammad Arif Khan (@M_Arif61) September 9, 2023
Citing medical sources, news site Médias24 reported a “massive influx” of injured people into Marrakech hospitals. In addition to Marrakech, the shock was also felt in Rabat, Casablanca, Agadir ed Essaouira.
“Around 11pm, we felt a very violent tremor, I realized it was an earthquake. I saw buildings moving and I went out. People were in shock and panic. Children were crying, parents were upset,” he said by telephone. to AFP Abdelhak El Amrani, 33 years old, resident in Marrakech.
© FADEL SENNA / AFP
People displaced after the terrible earthquake in Morocco
“The power went out for 10 minutes, the (telephone) network too, but it was restored. Everyone decided to stay outdoors,” he added. According to images broadcast by the networks, part of a minaret collapsed in the famous Jemaa el-Fna square, the beating heart of Marrakech, leaving two people injured. “We heard screams at the time of the tremor. People are in the squares, in cafes, preferring to sleep outside. There are pieces of facades that have fallen,” a resident of Essaouira, 200km west of Marrakech, told AFP .
On February 24, 2004, an earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale shook the province of Al Hoceima, 400 km north-east of Rabat, killing 628 people and causing extensive material damage. And on February 29, 1960, an earthquake destroyed Agadir, on the country’s west coast, killing more than 12,000 people, or a third of the city’s population.
Mattarella and Meloni: “Italy ready to help”
The head of state, Sergio Mattarella, sent a telegram to the king of Morocco expressing “feelings of authentic solidarity” and wishing the injured “a complete recovery”, and expressed “willingness to contribute to the complex rescue work”.
The Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, today in New Delhi for the G20 Summit, learned with pain the tragic toll of the devastating earthquake that hit Morocco. This is what we read in a note from Palazzo Chigi.
Meloni expressed closeness and solidarity to Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, to the families of the victims and to the Moroccan people, demonstrating Italy’s full availability to support Morocco in this emergency, the note adds.
Reports of damage after 6.8-magnitude earthquake hits Morocco pic.twitter.com/tQqYsosW8x
— BNO News (@BNONews) September 8, 2023
Tajani: “There are no Italians injured”
There were around 200 Italians who were in Marrakech when the town was hit by the earthquake: Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said this while speaking on the La7 Omnibus programme. “The earthquake occurred in the Marrakech area, there were around 200 Italians who were yesterday at the time of the tremors in that part of Morocco”. “At the moment – he added – we have no news of injured Italians. Now we are busy with our embassy in Rabat, our consulate in Casablanca and the honorary consulate in Marrakech to contact all our fellow citizens”.
The Pope’s condolences
Pope Francis, learning “with pain of the earthquake that violently struck Morocco”, expressed “his communion in prayer in the face of this natural disaster”. In the telegram of condolence for the victims sent, on behalf of the Pontiff, by the Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Francis is “sad by this event” and expressed his “deep solidarity with those who are touched in the flesh and in the heart by this tragedy: pray for the repose of the deceased, for the healing of the wounded and for the consolation of those who mourn the loss of their loved ones and their homes.”
Appeal to donate blood
The Marrakech Regional Blood Transfusion Center has launched an appeal for donations following the devastating earthquake that hit the Marrakech-Safi region last night and was felt throughout the North African country.
According to the Moroccan newspaper Le Matin, the Transfusion Center has invited all citizens to show up en masse in the early hours of Saturday to donate blood; all health facilities in Marrakech, such as the Mohammed VI Hospital Center, are mobilizing to provide the necessary care to the injured.
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