Morocco’s government said that the death toll has climbed to 2,000 with around 1500 injured after a powerful quake hit the country on Friday night.
Moroccans posted videos showing buildings reduced to rubble and dust and parts of the famous red walls that surround the old city in historic Marrakech, a UNESCO World Heritage site, damaged.
The US Geological Survey said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 when it hit at 11:11 pm, with shaking that lasted several seconds.
Morocco’s National Seismic Monitoring and Alert Network measured it at 7 on the Richter scale.
The US agency reported a magnitude 4.9 aftershock hit 19 minutes later.
