A powerful earthquake of the magnitude 6.8 struck central Morocco late Friday (September 8), killing 632 people, and injuring 329 others.
“According to an initial report, the earthquake caused 296 fatalities in the provinces and municipalities of al-Haouz, Marrakesh, Ouarzazate, Azilal, Chichaoua and Taroudant,” Morocco’s interior ministry said in a statement.
However, the death toll rose to 632 with more people still missing in the “violent earthquake” as described by one of the survivors.
The epicentre was in the High Atlas Mountains, 71km (44 miles) south-west of Marrakesh, at a depth of 18.5km, the US Geological Survey said.
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The quake struck at 23:11 local time (22:11 GMT). There was a 4.9 aftershock 19 minutes later.
Locals are said to have decided to stay outside their homes in case the city is rocked by powerful aftershocks.
