Watch | Powerful earthquake causes extensive damage in Morocco

As per the US Geological Survey, the quake had a magnitude of 6.8 with an epicentre some 72 km (45 miles) southwest of Marrakesh.

A man stands next to a damaged hotel after the earthquake in Moulay Brahim village, near the epicentre of the earthquake, outside Marrakech, Morocco, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (AP Photo)

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More than 2,000 people have died after an earthquake struck Morocco’s High Atlas mountains late Friday night and shook Marrakesh and surrounding regions. Around 2,059 people have been injured, including 1,404 in critical condition.

Even as Morocco has revised upward the death toll from the earthquake, the toll is expected to rise further as rescuers struggle to reach hard-hit remote areas. As per the US Geological Survey, the quake had a magnitude of 6.8 with an epicentre some 72 km (45 miles) southwest of Marrakesh.

Videos showing the widespread damage in the quake-hit regions have been doing the rounds on social media platforms even as people are still searching for survivors buried on the slopes, where houses of mud brick, stone and rough wood were cracked open and mosque minarets toppled by the quake that is said to be the country’s deadliest in more than six decades.

Al Jazeera shared a clip on X that shows the moment the powerful earthquake struck Morocco, causing extensive damage.

This was the moment a powerful magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Morocco near Marrakesh on Friday night, killing hundreds of people and destroying ancient buildings ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/EKZ4uPP8p9

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) September 9, 2023

In an another clip shared on the social media platform X, a woman can be seen grieving the loss of her husband and all four of her children in the quake.

In the horrific earthquake in Morocco, this grieving women lost her husband and all four of her children.#morroco ~ #morrocoearthquake ~ #earthquake ~ #morroco🇲🇦 #morrocon pic.twitter.com/zjfTxe5v1H

— FOEJ Media (@FoejMedia) September 9, 2023

Meanwhile, Moroccan earthquake survivors huddled for a night in the open on the High Atlas Mountains on Saturday, a day after the country’s deadliest quake in more than six decades killed more than 2,000 people and laid waste to villages.

More CCTV video of the M6.8 earthquake that hit Morocco last night. I have no words!!! 😢 pic.twitter.com/pyoGSHzc0J

— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) September 9, 2023

Street camera footage in Marrakesh showed the moment the earth began to shake, as men suddenly looked around and jumped up, and others ran for shelter into an alleyway and then fled as dust and debris tumbled around them.

The strongest earthquake in Morocco in over 120 years caused widespread damage and killed more than 1,300 people.@WmBrangham reports. pic.twitter.com/4PboZWBfHv

— PBS NewsHour (@NewsHour) September 9, 2023

In the heart of the old city, a UNESCO World Heritage site, a mosque minaret had fallen in Jemaa al-Fna Square. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization said more than 300,000 people were affected in Marrakesh and surrounding areas.

See how much destruction has been caused by the earthquake in Morocco

Disturbing Drone footage #Morocco #moroccoearthquake #INDvsPAK #PAKvIND #UFC293 #ReleasePrisonerNo804 #میرے_پاکستانیو #زلزال_المغرب #earthquake #Maroc #المغرب #مراكش #زلزال #Marrakech #moroccoearthquake… pic.twitter.com/5cJ5elgmt5

— Samina Hafeez Malik (@SaminaHMalik) September 10, 2023

Morocco has declared three days of national mourning, during which the national flag will be flown at half staff throughout the country, the royal court said on Saturday.

(With Reuters and AP inputs)

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