The death toll from Morocco’s most powerful earthquake in a century has surged to a staggering 2,800 people.
This comes as villagers enter their fourth night camping outside.
International assistance arrived in the form of search teams from Spain, Britain, and Qatar, all joining the heroic efforts of Moroccan rescuers.
The earthquake, measuring 6.8 in magnitude, struck the High Atlas Mountains late on Friday, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake, particularly affecting the traditional mud brick houses that are prevalent in the region.
State television reports on Monday evening confirmed the heart-wrenching rise in casualties, with the death toll reaching 2,862, and 2,562 individuals reported injured.
Amid the challenging terrain in many affected areas, authorities have been unable to provide estimates for the number of people still missing, leaving loved ones anxiously awaiting news.
In the village of Tinmel, the devastation is overwhelming, with nearly every house reduced to rubble, rendering the entire community homeless. A haunting stench of death fills the air as dozens of animals remain buried beneath the debris.
Mouhamad Elhasan, 59, shared his harrowing experience, recounting that he and his family were having dinner when the earthquake struck. His 31-year-old son, attempting to escape, was struck as their neighbor’s roof collapsed, trapping him beneath the wreckage. Elhasan desperately searched for his son amid his cries for help, but tragically, the cries fell silent, and by the time he reached him, his son had passed away. Elhasan, his wife, and daughter miraculously survived by remaining inside their home.
Residents of Tinmel and other affected villages have shown remarkable resilience, recounting stories of pulling survivors from the debris with their bare hands.
In Tikekhte, where few buildings remain standing, 66-year-old Mohamed Ouchen described how locals rallied to rescue 25 people, including his sister, using their hands as tools. He recalled, “Her head was visible, and we kept digging by hand.”
The level of destruction is described as “absolute” by officials, and though not a single house has remained upright, rescue teams, aided by search dogs, continue their relentless efforts to locate survivors.
The earthquake’s epicenter was approximately 72 kilometers (45 miles) southwest of Marrakech, where historical buildings in the old city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, sustained damage. The quake also inflicted significant harm upon the historically significant 12th-century Tinmel Mosque.
Despite the widespread devastation, more modern areas of Marrakech, including a site near the airport slated for upcoming IMF and World Bank meetings next month, largely escaped the quake’s wrath. The Moroccan government is determined to proceed with the meetings, which are expected to draw over 10,000 attendees, despite the monumental challenges posed by the earthquake’s aftermath.
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