The death toll in Morocco’s massive earthquake is reported to have soared to more than 2,000, with many other people injured.
The country’s interior ministry has said more than 1,400 people have sustained serious injuries, with the provinces just south of Marrakesh experiencing the heaviest casualties.
King Mohammed VI declared three days of national mourning and ordered the provision of shelter, food, and other assistance for survivors.
Many people are choosing to spend a second night out in the open.
Marrakesh and many towns experienced a magnitude 6.8 quake on Friday night. Entire villages have reportedly been flattened in remote mountain areas.
The epicenter is located in the High Atlas Mountains, 71 kilometers (44 miles) South West of Marrakesh, a city with world heritage status that attracts many tourists.
The tremors also affected the capital Rabat, located 350 kilometers away, as well as Casablanca, Agadir, and Essaouira.
According to the interior ministry, Al Haouz province has the highest death toll, with Taroudant province following closely behind. Marrakesh has experienced far fewer deaths, although the Unesco-protected old city has sustained considerable damage.
Many believe that simple mud, brick, stone, and timber homes in mountain villages have collapsed, but it will take some time to assess the scale of devastation in remote areas.
