Morocco Earthquake Kills 296 People (Provisional Report)

The earthquake with an epicentre in the High Atlas mountains caused devastation in the historic city of Marrakech, Morocco.

Rabat — The powerful earthquake that struck Morocco's central province of Al Haouz late on Friday, killed at least 296 people in the provinces and cities of Al Haouz, Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Azilal, Chichaoua and Taroudant, according to a provisional report of the Interior ministry.

The strong 7.0-magnitude earthquake also left 153 injured to varying degrees, said the Secretary General at the General Directorate of Internal Affairs at the Interior ministry at a press briefing.

The earthquake also caused material damage affecting a number of unpopulated areas, he said, adding that local authorities and security and civil protection services in all cities and provinces concerned are mobilized to provide the necessary assistance and assess the damage.

The Interior ministry calls on citizens to remain calm and avoid panic, he concluded.

The epicenter of the earthquake, recorded Friday around 11:11 pm (local time), was located in the municipality of Ighil, province of Al Haouz.

AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.