Morocco earthquake death toll hits 2,800, survivors reside outside

• Morocco was devastated by the country’s most powerful earthquake in over a century.
• Authorities have refrained from providing estimates for the number of missing persons.
• The Moroccan government intended to proceed with the meetings.

In parts of Morocco devastated by the country’s most powerful earthquake in over a century, villagers endured their fourth night outdoors on Monday as the death toll climbed to over 2,800 people.

Teams from Spain, Britain, and Qatar joined Moroccan efforts to locate survivors following the 6.8 magnitude quake that struck in the High Atlas Mountains late on Friday, demolishing the traditional mud brick houses commonly found in the region.

As of late Monday, state TV reported a death toll of 2,862, with 2,562 individuals injured. Due to the challenging accessibility of many affected areas, authorities have refrained from providing estimates for the number of missing persons.

In Tinmel village, nearly every dwelling was reduced to rubble, rendering the entire community homeless. The village bore witness to the overwhelming odor of death emanating from numerous animals buried beneath the debris.

Mouhamad Elhasan, 59, recounted how he and his family were having dinner when the earthquake struck. His 31-year-old son rushed outside and was struck as their neighbor’s roof collapsed, trapping him beneath the rubble.

Elhasan desperately searched for his son, who cried out for help. Sadly, the cries ceased, and when Elhasan finally reached his son, he had already succumbed. Elhasan, his wife, and daughter stayed inside their home and survived, leading him to lament, “If he had stayed inside the house, he would have been safe.”

Residents of Tinmel and other villages reported rescuing people from the wreckage using only their bare hands.

In Tikekhte, where few structures remained standing, 66-year-old Mohamed Ouchen described how the residents rescued 25 people, including his sister.

He explained, “We were busy rescuing. Because we didn’t have tools, we used our hands. Her head was visible, and we kept digging by hand.”

Footage from the remote village of Imi N’Tala, filmed by Spanish rescuer Antonio Nogales from the aid group Bomberos Unidos Sin Fronteras (United Firefighters Without Borders), depicted men and dogs navigating steep, rubble-covered slopes.

Nogales struggled to find words to describe the extent of the devastation, stating, “The level of destruction is… complete. Not a single house remains upright.”

Despite the immense damage, rescue teams, aided by search dogs, remained hopeful of finding survivors.

The earthquake’s epicenter was approximately 72 km (45 miles) southwest of Marrakech, where some historical buildings in the old city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, sustained damage. The quake also inflicted significant harm on the historically significant 12th-century Tinmel Mosque.

Modern sections of Marrakech, including a site near the airport designated for IMF and World Bank meetings scheduled for the following month, largely escaped unscathed. The Moroccan government intended to proceed with the meetings, which were expected to draw over 10,000 participants.

As the rescue efforts continued, tent camps began to appear in some areas by Monday night as people endured their fourth night in the open. The army announced its reinforcement of search-and-rescue teams, provision of drinking water, and distribution of food, tents, and blankets.

A major road connecting the High Atlas Mountains to Marrakech experienced heavy traffic on Monday evening as vehicles and volunteers carrying relief supplies made their way to the hardest-hit communities.

Moroccan volunteers, along with assistance from foreigners, played a vital role in directing traffic and clearing debris from the road.

Morocco accepted aid offers from Spain and Britain, both of which dispatched search-and-rescue experts with sniffer dogs, as well as from the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

Algeria also committed three planes to transport rescue personnel and aid. State TV indicated that the Moroccan government might consider relief offers from other nations in the future.

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