In the earthquake that struck Morocco in the evening on Friday, the 8th of September, caused massive damage to buildings. The number of confirmed deaths exceeds 2 000, as reported by Latvian Ministry of the Interior.
According to the ministry’s report, 2 012 people were killed, 2 059 were injured (1 404 are in critical state).
The King of Morocco has announced a three-day mourning in the country.
The US Geological Service (USGS) reported that the magnitude of the earthquake was 6.8. Morocco’s National Seismic Observation and Warning Network gave the earthquake a magnitude of 7.
In #Morocco, thousands of people slept on the streets due to fears of new aftershocks.
The US Geological Survey considers the earthquake the strongest in the region in 100 years. The number of victims is expected to rise as the rubble is cleared. Three days of mourning have been… pic.twitter.com/L9OaSAdY4v
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) September 10, 2023
The epicenter of the earthquake was 70 km to the south-west of Marrakesh and 18.5 km undergrowth, as reported by USGS.
The earthquake was also felt in cities within 400 km radius of the epicenter, said the Director of Moroccan National Institute of Geophysics Nasser Dzhabur.
Several hundred aftershocks followed the earthquake.
The last time Morocco was struck by an earthquake was 2004. Back then the 6.4 magnitude earthquake took the lives of more than 600 people.
A powerful earthquake hit central Morocco on Friday, forcing people into the streets as buildings shook. At least 2,000 people were killed when the 6.8-magnitude quake hit. It was the biggest quake to hit the country in 120 years. pic.twitter.com/1Nyw8c04jB
— CBS News (@CBSNews) September 10, 2023
Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not have information if any Latvian citizens were injured or killed in the earthquake in Morocco.
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