Devastating Earthquake Strikes Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains, Killing Hundreds

A powerful earthquake in Morocco’s High Atlas mountains has led to widespread destruction, causing hundreds of casualties as buildings collapse and people flee their homes.

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A powerful earthquake has struck Morocco‘s High Atlas mountains, resulting in extensive devastation, including hundreds of casualties and widespread structural damage as buildings collapse. The earthquake prompted residents in several cities and towns to evacuate their homes.

Marrakech, the nearest major city to the earthquake’s epicenter, reported the collapse of some buildings in the old city, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Initial reports indicated that part of a minaret towering over Jemaa el-Fnaa, a bustling market square and visitor hub, had collapsed, injuring two people. In response, local residents sought shelter in the square’s open area.

Television footage depicted piles of rubble and broken pipes crushing parked cars and blocking streets throughout Marrakech. Terrified residents fled into the streets after the earthquake struck at 11:11 pm on Friday, fearing further aftershocks. Some were seen wrapped in blankets, sleeping outdoors for safety.

The death toll has risen to 632, with 329 injured, according to Moroccan TV reports, citing the interior ministry. Most of the damage occurred outside cities and towns, with many deaths reported in hard-to-reach mountainous areas.

The earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.2 according to Morocco‘s geophysical center (or 6.8 according to the US Geological Survey), struck the Ighil area, approximately 40 miles (70 km) southwest of Marrakech. The US Geological Survey noted it was relatively shallow, at a depth of 11.5 miles (18.5 km).

Numerous buildings in the tightly packed old city of Marrakech collapsed, and residents were working by hand to clear debris while awaiting heavy equipment. Sections of the medieval city wall displayed large cracks and fallen portions, with rubble littering the streets.

Witnesses reported people fleeing their homes in Rabat, about 220 miles (350 km) north of Ighil, and in the coastal town of Imsouane, approximately 102 miles (180 km) to its west, due to fears of a stronger quake.

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This devastating earthquake not only affected Morocco but was also felt as far away as Portugal and Algeria. The Moroccan region’s population primarily resides in structures highly vulnerable to earthquake shaking.

Morocco frequently experiences earthquakes in its northern region due to its location between the African and Eurasian tectonic plates. In 2004, a quake in northeastern Morocco killed at least 628 people and injured 926. In 1980, the 7.3-magnitude El Asnam earthquake in neighboring Algeria claimed 2,500 lives and left over 300,000 people homeless.