Morocco has declared three days of national mourning after a powerful earthquake killed more than 2,000 people and injured thousands more on Friday night. The 6.8-magnitude quake, the strongest ever recorded in the country, struck near Marrakech and devastated many towns and villages in the Atlas Mountains region.
Rescue workers are still searching for survivors under the rubble of collapsed buildings, while the Moroccan armed forces are providing aid and relief to the affected areas. Many people are spending a second night out in the open, fearing aftershocks and lacking shelter, food and water.
The worst-hit provinces are Al Haouz and Taroudant, where entire villages have been flattened. The historic city of Marrakech, a popular tourist destination, has also suffered significant damage to its Unesco-protected old Medina.
Several countries and international organizations have offered assistance to Morocco, including Algeria, which has opened its airspace for humanitarian flights after two years of closure due to political tensions.
The Red Cross has warned that the recovery will take months, if not years, as the earthquake has caused extensive destruction to infrastructure and livelihoods.
King Mohammed VI has expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and ordered an investigation into the causes and consequences of the disaster. He has also urged all Moroccans to donate blood and support the national effort to help the quake-hit regions.
