Powerful Earthquake Kills at Least 296 People in Morocco

People take shelter and check for news on their mobile phones after an earthquake in Rabat, Morocco, on Sept. 8, 2023. Mosa'ab Elshamy/AP Photo

Morocco’s Interior Ministry reported on Friday night that a powerful earthquake has killed at least 296 people.

The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces announced the death toll, citing the government department.

“The Ministry of the Interior announced the death of 296 people in the provinces and prefectures of Al Haouz, Marrakesh and Ouarzazate as a result of the strong earthquake that struck our country, the toll up to 2 a.m. on Saturday (local time),” wrote the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces.

The Interior Ministry, in a televised statement about the death toll, called for calm and listed the affected regions as Al Haouz, Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Azilal, Chichaoua, and Taroudant.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported on Friday evening that a notable magnitude 6.8 earthquake had occurred at 10:11 p.m. local time in the Atlas Mountains, nearly 43.5 miles (70 kilometers) southwest of Marrakech, at a depth of 11.5 miles (18.5 kilometers). Morocco’s seismic agency put it at a depth of five miles.

View of a damaged car and debris from the earthquake in Marrakech, Morocco, on Sept. 9, 2023, in this screen grab taken from a video. Al Oula TV/Handout via Reuters

The earthquake occurred in an area with small farming villages in close proximity to Toubkal, which is the highest peak in North Africa, as well as Oukaimeden, a well-known Moroccan ski resort.

Morocco’s National Seismic Monitoring and Alert Network registered a magnitude of 7 on the Richter scale, while the U.S. agency recorded a subsequent aftershock with a magnitude of 4.9 just 19 minutes later.

Moroccans and tourists shared videos online showing buildings reduced to rubble that fell on cars and roads, and panicked people fleeing through dust-filled streets with what they could carry, screaming in terror.

Local television showed pictures of a fallen mosque minaret with rubble lying on smashed cars.

People gather on a street in Casablanca, following a powerful earthquake in Morocco, on Sept. 9, 2023. Abdelhak Balhaki/Reuters

View of rubble from the earthquake in Marrakech, Morocco, on Sept. 9, 2023, in this screen grab taken from a video. Al Oula TV/Handout via Reuters

“Our neighbors are under the rubble and people are working hard to rescue them using available means in the village,” said Montasir Itri, a resident of the mountain village of Asni near the epicenter. He added that most houses there were damaged.

Hamid Afkar, a teacher who lives further west near Taroudant, said he had fled his home and there had been aftershocks following the initial quake.

“The earth shook for about 20 seconds. Doors opened and shut by themselves as I rushed downstairs from the second floor,” Mr. Afkar said.

The strong quake damaged parts of the famous red walls that surround the old city of Marrakech, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

In 2004, an earthquake struck Al Hoceima in northeastern Morocco, leading to at least 628 fatalities and 926 injuries, reported Agence France-Presse.

In 1980, neighboring Algeria experienced a significant earthquake known as the El Asnam earthquake, measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale. This event was one of the largest and most destructive earthquakes in recent history, resulting in 2,500 casualties and leaving at least 300,000 people homeless, according to AFP.

Reuters contributed to this report.