Morocco earthquake – live: At least 632 dead after late night magnitude 7.2 tremor strikes near Marrakech

The death toll from the earthquake that struck near Marrakech in Morocco late Friday night has surged, in what is one of the most powerful tremors ever faced by the country in many years.

The toll went up to at least 632 dead and 329 injured, reported state television. A local official earlier said most deaths were in mountain areas that were hard to reach.

The epicentre of the quake was in the High Atlas mountains, according to the country’s National Seismic Monitoring and Alert Network.

In 1960, an earthquake in the country had led to the deaths of thousands of people.

A number of videos and photos shared on social media by Moroccan citizens and tourists show entire buildings turned to rubble and dust.

Some parts of the famous red walls surrounding the old Moroccan city of Marrakech – a Unesco World Heritage site – were damaged, the Associated Press reported.

Local television showed pictures of a fallen mosque minaret in Morocco with rubble lying on smashed cars.

A resident of the mountain village of Asni told Reuters that most houses there were damaged.

“Our neighbours are under the rubble and people are working hard to rescue them using available means in the village,” he said.

The USGS says tremors of this magnitude in the region are “uncommon but not unexpected.”

A magnitude 5.8 tremor struck near the city of Agadir in Morocco in 1960, leading to thousands of deaths and prompting changes in construction rules.

Then in 2004, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake near the Mediterranean city of Al Hoceima caused over 600 deaths.

While there have been no tremors of magnitude 6 and larger about 500 km within the range of the current earthquake, most of these events have occurred east of Friday night’s quake, according to USGS.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the people impacted by the earthquake in Morocco before beginning the official G20 proceedings in New Delhi. “Before starting the official proceedings, I would like to express my condolences to the people impacted by the earthquake in Morocco,” Mr Modi said, at the event attended by the world’s top leaders. “The world is with Morocco and we are really to provide them with all the possible help,” he added. Mr Modi earlier tweeted that India is “ready to offer all possible assistance to Morocco in this difficult time.”

The origin of the tremors has been traced to Morocca’s High Atlas Mountain range about 75km southeast of the old city of Marrakech.

A USGS report suggests the quake occurred due to “oblique-reverse faulting” at a shallow depth of about 18.5km within the mountain range.

Such types of faulting have rock mass moving down an inclined fault, and also some moving in a horizontal direction.

“This earthquake occurred within the Africa Plate, approximately 550km south of the plate boundary between the Africa and Eurasia plates,” the American agency said, adding that quakes of this size in the region are “uncommon but not unexpected”.

But since 1900, it said there have been no earthquakes of magnitude 6 and larger within 500km of this earthquake, and only nine tremors of magnitude 5 and larger.

The US Geological Survey has issued a “red alert” for economic losses due to the earthquake in Morocco.

“Extensive damage is probable and the disaster is likely widespread,” the American agency noted.

The region’s population lives in buildings “highly vulnerable” to earthquake shaking, according to USGS, which said the estimated economic losses are likely “0-2 per cent GDP of Morocco.”

“Past events with this alert level have required a national or international level response,” it noted.

Kristalina Georgieva, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, expressed her condolences to the victims and families who lost their kin due to the earthquake in Morocco.

“I am deeply saddened to hear about the devastating earthquake that has struck Morocco,” Ms Georgieva said.

“My heart goes out to the victims and their families as they cope with this tragedy, and to those on the frontline of rescue efforts,” the Bulgarian economist, attending the G20 Summit in New Delhi, tweeted.

India’s prime minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences for the loss of lives due to the earthquake in Morocco, adding that India is ready to offer assistance to the country.

“Extremely pained by the loss of lives due to an earthquake in Morocco. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the people of Morocco,” Mr Modi tweeted.

“Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. India is ready to offer all possible assistance to Morocco in this difficult time,” he said.

The quake struck Morocco a day before India is set to host the world’s top leaders for the G20 summit.

The late night tremor that struck Marrakech has killed at least 296 people and left 153 injured. The earthquake has been felt in several countries outside of the African nation.

Social media videos and photos have showed how the tremors have collapsed buildings and forced people to go out into the streets.

A 5.8-magnitude earthquake that had struck near Agadir in Morocco in 1960 had resulted in thousands of deaths.

The current 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck near Marrakech late night on Friday has led to the deaths of at least 296, according to the country’s interior ministry. At least 153 have been injured in the tragedy.

The interior ministry said the figures are preliminary and more casualties are expected. Most of the deaths have occured in hard-to-reach, mountainous areas, it said.