'120-Year-Old Major Earthquake' in Morocco, Death Toll Exceeds 2,100

The death toll from the magnitude 6.8 earthquake that struck Morocco in North Africa late on the night of the 8th (local time) has surpassed 2,100. As the golden time for rescue, considered to be 72 hours, approaches, rescue teams are accelerating their search and rescue efforts for survivors.

On the 8th (local time), a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Morocco in North Africa, and citizens who evacuated are sleeping on the streets.
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According to the Moroccan state daily Le Matin on the 10th (local time), the Ministry of Interior provisionally reported that as of 4 p.m. that day, 2,122 people had died and 2,421 were injured due to the earthquake. The Al Haouz province, where the epicenter is located, recorded the highest number of deaths at 1,351. It was followed by Taroudant province with 492 deaths and Chichaoua province with 201 deaths.

Le Matin also reported that 17 people were killed in the medieval city of Marrakech. The Ministry of Interior expects the death toll to rise further as there are many critically ill patients and search and rescue operations for missing persons are ongoing.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimated that there is a 35% probability that the death toll from this disaster will reach at least 1,000 to a maximum of 10,000. It also projected a 21% chance that the number could reach between 10,000 and 100,000, and a 6% probability that it could exceed 100,000. Due to the unexpectedly large scale of the damage, the USGS raised the casualty estimate alert for this Morocco earthquake from the initial 'yellow alert' issued immediately after the quake to a 'red alert,' two levels higher, on the same day.

The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that more than 300,000 people have been affected by this earthquake.

As the golden time for rescue approaches, desperate search and rescue operations for missing persons continue in the earthquake-affected areas. Caroline Holt, Global Operations Manager of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said in a statement, "The next 24 to 48 hours are critical for rescuing survivors."

However, the rugged mountainous terrain and poor road conditions in the affected areas are hindering rescue teams and causing delays in operations. The local government of Moulay Brahim reported that rescue teams must access the affected areas via winding mountain roads, but rocks dislodged by the earthquake have blocked many parts of the roads.

The risk of aftershocks continues. According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), a magnitude 4.5 earthquake occurred around 9 a.m. on the holiday, approximately 83 km southwest of Marrakech.

The earthquake also damaged cultural heritage sites representing Morocco. The minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque, one of the most famous landmarks of the old city Medina in Marrakech, a UNESCO World Heritage site, known as the "roof of Marrakech," was reported to have suffered partial damage due to the earthquake.

The international community has extended a helping hand to Morocco. Spain dispatched 56 members of its Military Emergency Unit (UME) to the site after receiving an official support request from Morocco. More than 50 rescue team members from Tunisia headed to Morocco the previous day, and Qatar sent 87 personnel and five rescue dogs to assist with rescue operations. Algeria also opened its airspace, which had been closed for two years following the severance of diplomatic ties with Morocco, for humanitarian aid and the transport of the injured.

However, it has been reported that some countries willing to provide assistance have been unable to actively participate due to the lack of official support requests from Moroccan authorities.

Locally, there is analysis that the Moroccan government is reluctant to accept foreign aid to demonstrate its capability to handle the disaster independently. The French daily Le Monde reported that the only countries from which Morocco has officially requested support are Spain, Tunisia, Qatar, and Jordan.

Earlier, Morocco suffered damage from a magnitude 6.8 earthquake that occurred around 11:11 p.m. on the 8th, approximately 72 km southwest of Marrakech. The USGS assessed this earthquake as the largest to occur in Morocco in over 120 years.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.