Morocco earthquake death toll tops 2,800 UPDATED

Hundreds of people stood in line for hours outside a blood bank in the central Moroccan city of Marrakech on September 11, some even passing out from the heat, but all of them determined to do whatever they could for their country as it reels from the devastating earthquake that struck on September 8 night. 

The United Nations estimated that some 300,000 people had been affected by the al-Houz quake — a powerful 6.8 magnitude temblor that struck a region unaccustomed and ill-prepared for such a jolt. On September 11, the death toll rose to 2,862, with another 2,562 injured, according to Morocco's Ministry of Interior. 

Video continued to emerge over the weekend capturing both the extent of the devastation, and the frenzied moments right after the earthquake struck the North African nation.  

The frantic effort to find survivors was still underway, as others turned to mourning their loved ones.

"We were having dinner," said Hamid Ben Henna. "I asked my son to bring a knife from the kitchen to cut the dessert, but he never did because as soon as he left the kitchen, the earthquake struck. He was buried in six feet of rubble."

The worst of the destruction is in the scenic High Atlas Mountains, where dirt roads snake into snow-capped peaks. Many of those passes have been blocked by rockslides, making it impossible to reach those still trapped beneath the debris of their homes.

Some could still be saved, but many more will need to be found and laid to rest.

"We just couldn't ever imagine something like this happening here really, It's just been totally devastating," said Helen Gallagher who emigrated to make Morocco her home. "We're just in survival mode and trying to get help out to the people who most need it, and we'll process it afterwards."

In cities like Marrakech, with its famed Casbah, medieval buildings that have stood for 1,000 years have been badly damaged. Some have fallen, and others could topple at any moment.

The need for aid is immense and urgent. The U.S. Embassy in Morocco said it was aware of a small number of Americans who were hurt in the quake, but none who were killed.

11.09.2023 / 19:28

The death toll from the 7-magnitude earthquake in Morocco has risen to 2,497, TASS reports, citing the kingdom's interior ministry.

According to its data, at least 2,476 people suffered from seismic activity. The largest number of victims was recorded in the provinces of El Haouz (1,452) and Taroudant (764).

A day earlier, Moroccan authorities informed about 2,122 victims and 2,420 injured.

11:24

Survivors of Morocco's deadliest earthquake in more than six decades struggled to find food, water and shelter on September 10 as the search for the missing continued in remote villages and the death toll of more than 2,100 seemed likely to rise further.

Many people were spending a third night in the open after the 6.8 magnitude quake hit late on September 8. Relief workers face the challenge of reaching the worst-affected villages in the High Atlas, a rugged mountain range where settlements are often remote and where many houses crumbled, Reuters reports.

The death toll climbed to 2,122 with 2,421 people injured, state TV reported. Morocco said it may accept relief offers from other countries and will work to coordinate them if needed, according to state TV.

The damage done to Morocco's cultural heritage became more evident as local media reported the collapse of a historically important 12th century mosque. The quake also damaged parts of Marrakech old city, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

In Moulay Brahim, a village 40 km (25 miles) south of Marrakech, residents described how they dug the dead from the rubble using their bare hands. On a hillside overlooking the village, residents buried a 45-year-old woman who had died along with her 18-year-old son, a woman sobbing loudly as the body was lowered into the grave.

As he retrieved possessions from his damaged home, Hussein Adnaie said he believed people were still buried in the rubble nearby.

"They didn't get the rescue they needed so they died. I rescued my children and I'm trying to get covers for them and anything to wear from the house," Adnaie said.

Yassin Noumghar, 36, complained of shortages of water, food and power, saying he had received little government aid so far.

"We lost everything, we lost the entire house," Noumghar said. "We want just for our government to help us."

Later, sacks of food were unloaded from a truck which local official Mouhamad al-Hayyan said had been organised by the government and civil society organisations.

Twenty-five bodies had been brought to the village's small clinic, according to staff.

With many homes built of mud bricks and timber or cement and breeze blocks, structures crumbled easily. It was Morocco's deadliest earthquake since 1960 when a quake was estimated to have killed at least 12,000 people.

In the badly hit village of Amizmiz, residents watched as rescuers used a mechanical digger on a collapsed house.

"They are looking for a man and his son. One of them might still be alive," said Hassan Halouch, a retired builder.

The team eventually recovered only bodies.

The army, mobilised to help the rescue effort, set up a camp with tents for the homeless. With most shops damaged or closed, residents struggled to get food and supplies.

"We're still waiting for tents. We haven't had anything yet," said Mohammed Nejjar, a labourer who was folding his blanket in a makeshift shelter constructed with bits of wood. "I had a little food offered by one man but that's all since the earthquake. You can't see a single shop open here and people are frightened to go inside in case the roof falls down."

The quake's epicentre was 72 km (45 miles) southwest of Marrakech, a city beloved by Moroccans and foreign tourists for its medieval mosques, palaces and seminaries richly adorned with vivid mosaic tiling amid a labyrinth of rose-hued alleyways.

The government said on September 10 it has set up a fund for those affected by the earthquake. The government has also said it is reinforcing search-and-rescue teams, providing drinking water and distributing food, tents and blankets. The World Health Organization said more than 300,000 people have been affected by the disaster.

Foreign aid

Spain said 56 officers and four sniffer dogs have arrived in Morocco, while a second team of 30 people and four dogs was heading there. Britain said it was deploying 60 search-and-rescue specialists and four dogs on September 10, as well as a four-person medical assessment team. Qatar also said its search-and-rescue team departed for Morocco.

U.S. President Joe Biden expressed his "sadness about the loss of life and devastation" caused by the quake.

"We stand ready to provide any necessary assistance to the Moroccan people," Biden told a news conference in Hanoi, Vietnam.

A U.S. official said a small team of disaster experts dispatched by the United States arrived in Morocco on September 10 to assess the situation.

France said it stood ready to help and was awaiting a formal request from Morocco.

Other countries offering assistance included Turkey, where earthquakes in February killed more than 50,000 people. By September 10, the Turkish team had not yet departed.

"The next two to three days will be critical for finding people trapped under the rubble," Caroline Holt, global director of operations for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), told Reuters.

Holt said the international aid system has been waiting for an invitation from Morocco to assist, adding this was not necessarily unusual as the government assesses needs.

Pope Francis offered prayers and solidarity for the victims.

Morocco has declared three days of mourning and King Mohammed VI called for prayers for the dead to be held at mosques across the country.