Father Embraces Son Protectively as Building Shakes... Tragedy in Morocco

Father Trying to Protect Son Ultimately Dies... Son Also Missing

As the damage from a strong earthquake spreads in Morocco, North Africa, a heartbreaking story has emerged about a father who lost his life trying to protect his family.

A woman mourns near the mountain village of Amizmiz, which suffered heavy damage from the earthquake that struck Morocco in North Africa on the 10th (local time).
[Image source=AFP News Agency]

On the 10th (local time), British Sky News reported the story of a father who died protecting his young son in the village of Amizmiz in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Amizmiz is located just 55 km from Marrakech, one of the main areas affected by the earthquake.

Hafida, a resident met there, tearfully spoke about her brother Miloud and his family. According to Hafida, Miloud lived with his wife, son, and daughter in a house in this area.

On the 10th (local time), in a village near Amizmiz, Marrakech, Morocco, North Africa, where a strong earthquake occurred, volunteers are collecting bodies while the bereaved families shed tears. On the 8th, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Morocco, resulting in over 2,000 deaths.
[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

On the night of the 8th, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck, and Miloud wrapped his body around his son to protect him from the collapsing building, but was struck on the head by debris and died. Miloud’s body was recovered, but his wife and son remain missing. Fortunately, Miloud’s second child, his daughter, survived. However, she was injured with a broken leg and was transported to a hospital in Marrakech.

Hafida said she fears her sister-in-law and nephew may not return alive. Initially, they heard the child’s cries for help, but the sounds gradually faded. Hafida broke down in tears again as she shared this story.

"The strongest earthquake to hit North Africa in 120 years"

A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck southwestern Morocco in North Africa, and on the 9th (local time), rescue workers conducted search operations amid the debris in the Al Haouz area near the earthquake epicenter. [Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

The earthquake occurred around 11 p.m. on the 8th. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported the magnitude as 6.8, calling it "the strongest earthquake to strike North Africa in about 120 years since observations began in 1900."

The earthquake has claimed at least 2,100 lives. Morocco’s state daily newspaper Le Matin reported on the 10th that the Ministry of Interior had provisionally counted 2,122 deaths and 2,421 injuries as of 4 p.m. that day.

Moroccan authorities have launched search and rescue operations for the missing, but in the high-altitude Atlas Mountain region, where damage is concentrated, roads have been cut off and landslides have occurred, making ambulance access difficult. The Ministry of Interior expects the death toll to continue rising due to the large number of critically injured and ongoing search and rescue efforts.

As the earthquake damage spreads, countries around the world have pledged support. On the 9th, U.S. President Joe Biden issued a statement expressing "deep sorrow over the loss of life and destruction caused by the earthquake," and said, "We are working swiftly to ensure the safety of U.S. citizens in Morocco and are ready to provide the necessary support to the Moroccan people."

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