Morocco struck by deadly earthquake hundreds dead, India offers support

New Delhi: A devastating earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 has rocked Morocco, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The tragic event, which occurred on Friday night southwest of Marrakech city, has claimed the lives of at least 300 people, while more than 150 others have sustained injuries, as reported by state-run Al-Aoula television on Saturday.

In the aftermath of the earthquake, chilling images captured by the state-run Al-Aoula TV station showed multiple buildings reduced to rubble. Fearing aftershocks, thousands of residents fled their homes and residential structures following a warning issued by Morocco's National Institute of Geophysics.

The epicentre of this devastating earthquake was located in the town of Ighil, situated within the Al Haouz Province of the Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz region in Morocco.

In response to the tragedy, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi expressed his profound grief and extended his condolences to the people of Morocco. He also reassured that India stands ready to provide any and all assistance needed during this challenging period.

Prime Minister Modi stated, "Extremely pained by the loss of lives due to an earthquake in Morocco. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the people of Morocco. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. India is ready to offer all possible assistance to Morocco in this difficult time."

Extremely pained by the loss of lives due to an earthquake in Morocco. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the people of Morocco. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. India is ready to offer all possible assistance to…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 9, 2023

Morocco's Interior Ministry, in a bid to quell panic, urged citizens to remain calm and assured them that all available resources were activated to address the tragedy. Rashid Al-Khalfi, the ministry's general secretary of Internal Affairs, delivered this message via state media.

According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake's epicentre was in the High Atlas mountains, approximately 72 kilometres southwest of Marrakech—a bustling city and a renowned tourist destination. While unusual for the region, the earthquake was not entirely unexpected.

USGS noted that since 1900, there have been no earthquakes of magnitude 6 or larger within 500 kilometres of this event, with only nine magnitude 5 or larger earthquakes recorded. Predicting significant damage and a potentially widespread disaster, USGS also highlighted the vulnerability of many structures in the area to earthquake shaking.