An intense earthquake in Morocco on Friday killed over 2,000 people and injured hundreds more, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
Rescue workers are still scrambling to find survivors after buildings came crashing down in the Atlas mountains during the earthquake that took place late Friday night, according to USGS. At a magnitude of 6.8 and a shallow depth of 16 miles, it is the country’s deadliest earthquake in over six decades.
“When I felt the earth shaking beneath my feet and the house leaning, I rushed to get my kids out. But my neighbors couldn’t,” Mohamed Azaw, a rescue worker, said to Reuters. “Unfortunately no one was found alive in that family. The father and son were found dead and they are still looking for the mother and the daughter.”
#BREAKING🚨 Horrific moment of collapse of a house caught on security camera #earthquake at #Morocco in the region of #Marrakech
Pray for Maroc 🙏#moroccoearthquake #seismemaroc #seisme #maroc #prayerformorocco #هزة_أرضية #المغرب #زلزال #زلزال_المغرب #مراكش pic.twitter.com/gRkV4ICjeu
— World Trending X (@WorldTrendingX) September 9, 2023
Morocco’s Interior Ministry said that approximately 2,012 people are dead and an additional 2,059 are injured in the aftermath of the earthquake, according to Reuters. In cities near the epicenter of the quake such as Marrakech, Amizmiz, Asni and Taroudant, residents described their efforts to stay alive during the disaster. (RELATED: Rescue Attempt For 5-Year-Old Boy Who Fell Over 100 Feet Into Well Grips An Entire Nation)
“Our neighbors are under the rubble and people are working hard to rescue them using available means in the village,” Montasir Itri, a resident of Asni, said to Reuters.
“I still can’t sleep in the house because of the shock and also because the old town is made up of old houses,” Jaouhari Mohamed, a Marrakech resident, told Reuters.
Turkey, which grappled with an earthquake in February that killed 50,000 people, pledged support to Morocco in the aftermath of the disaster. Algeria said it would open airspace for medical and humanitarian flights, despite having cut ties with Morocco a year ago.
“On behalf of the people of the United States, I express my deep sadness at the loss of life and destruction caused by yesterday’s earthquake in Morocco and extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of those affected,” Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State, said in a statement. “The United States is ready to provide any necessary assistance as Morocco responds to this tragedy. Our thoughts are with the Moroccan people, and we offer our unwavering support and solidarity to our Moroccan partners at this tragic time.”
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.