What’s becoming clear is the panic that gripped many Moroccans after the earthquake struck at night.had been damaged.
Social media footage has revealed the damage in MarrakeshImage caption: Social media footage has revealed the damage in Marrakesh
More details are emerging on this deadly natural disaster, but here’s a quick recap of what’s known so far.
At least 296 people have died, according to a preliminary report from Morocco’s interior ministry
The powerful quake was measured at 6.8 magnitude, and its impact was felt in cities across Morocco
It struck just after 23:00 local time (22:00 GMT) at a shallow depth, around 71km (44 miles) south-west of Marrakesh
Marrakesh – a historic city much loved by tourists – appears to have been badly hit, with images emerging of rubble in the streets and people forced to camp out in the open. There were also power cuts
People are said to have been trapped under ruined buildings, and local hospitals have reportedly experienced an influx of arrivals
The Indian and German leaders are among those expressing condolences for the victims
A crowd of people on the street in Rabat, some of them sitting on the ground
Fearful of aftershocks, people have camped out in the streets – including in the capital, RabatImage caption: Fearful of aftershocks, people have camped out in the streets – including in the capital, Rabat
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The earthquake happened just after 23:00 local time. Sunrise in Morocco will be in about two hours, and when the sun comes out, we may see more casualties in the affected areas.
We are talking about areas where the houses are old. Some of these buildings have cultural heritage.
And some of these places are also touristic areas like Marrakesh. There’s a danger that we may see tourists affected by this powerful earthquake.
Deadly 6.8-magnitude earthquake rocks MoroccoDeadly 6.8-magnitude earthquake rocks Morocco
These images, broadcast on state-run TV, show the damage in Marrakesh after Friday night’s quake.
As we try to get a clearer image of the situation on the ground in Morocco, we’ve seen videos on social media appearing to show part of a fallen mosque minaret among the rubble.
The minaret is believed to have been damaged on the famous Djemaa el-Fna square in Marrakesh.
We have not verified these videos, but source reports that two people were injured in the partial collapse.
Djemaa el-Fna is the main square in the city and is a Unesco World Heritage site. It is a meeting point for residents and tourists from around the world.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi says he’s “extremely pained by the loss of lives” in Morocco – saying his thoughts are with the nation.
“Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones,” he adds in a post on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
“May the injured recover at the earliest. India is ready to offer all possible assistance to Morocco in this difficult time.”
Modi’s country is currently hosting the G20 summit – you can follow separate live coverage of that event here.
The epicentre of the quake was in the High Atlas Mountains, 71km (44 miles) south-west of Marrakesh. But pictures coming in from Marrakesh show significant damage in the city.
In this screengrab from a video broadcast on Al Oula TV, a car is seen crushed and covered in debris in MarrakeshImage caption: In this screengrab from a video broadcast on Al Oula TV, a car is seen crushed and covered in debris in Marrakesh.
Some buildings appear to have crumbled in the city following the quakeImage caption: Some buildings appear to have crumbled in the city following the quake
People have been gathering in the streets after fleeing their homes for safety, as seen here in
People have been gathering in the streets after fleeing their homes for safety, as seen here in Casablanca
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The city of Marrakesh appears to have been hit hard. Its historic heart is a Unesco world heritage site.
Unverified video clips on X (formerly Twitter) show damaged buildings, other buildings shaking and rubble-strewn streets. People are seen fleeing in alarm and some walking through clouds of dust.
Some buildings in Marrakesh’s old city have collapsed, one resident told the Reuters news agency. Several clips on X show buildings crashing down, but the BBC has not identified where they were.
Locals are said to have decided to stay outside their homes in case the city is rocked by powerful aftershocks.
A short while ago, we got confirmation from Moroccan officials – quoted on state TV – that nearly 300 people are known to have died in the disaster. Here’s what the statement said:
The stricken areas are mostly south of Marrakesh, which is a popular tourist destination.
The ministry added that 153 others had been injured and taken to hospital.
Earthquake damage in MarrakeshImage caption: Earthquake damage in Marrakesh
“We felt a very violent tremor, and I realised it was an earthquake,” Abdelhak El Amrani, a 33-year-old in Marrakesh, told source agency.
“I could see buildings moving. Then I went outside and there were a lot of people there. People were all in shock and panic. The children were crying and the parents were distraught.
“The power went out for 10 minutes, and so did the (telephone) network, but then it came back on. Everyone decided to stay outside,” he said.
The epicentre of Friday night’s quake was in the High Atlas Mountains, 71km (44 miles) south-west of Marrakesh, at a depth of 18.5km, the US Geological Survey said.
You’ve joined our live coverage following confirmation from officials in Morocco that at least 296 people have died in a powerful earthquake.
A 6.8 magnitude tremor struck just after 23:00 local time (22:00 GMT), and a strong aftershock 19 minutes later, felt in cities across the country.
Unverified video on social media appeared to show buildings crumbling after the tremors hit and people rushing into the streets in alarm.
With my colleague Laurence Peter, we’ll bring you the latest lines as we get them.
Source BBC News
