Morocco faces a race against time to save those trapped under the rubble by Friday's earthquake, as emergency services battle to supply remote areas.

Villagers continue to dig by hand and shovel to find survivors, as response teams struggle to bring in machinery.

Those same tools may now be needed to prepare graves for some of the thousands killed in the quake.

People "have nothing left," a villager told the BBC. "People are starving. Children want water. They need help."

Friday's earthquake, the country's deadliest for more than 60 years, struck below a remote cluster of mountainous villages south of Marrakesh.

The government reported that at least 2,122 people were killed and more than 2,421 injured, many critically.

 

The 6.8-magnitude tremor collapsed homes, blocked roads and swayed buildings as far away as the country's northern coast.

Marrakesh's old city, a Unesco World Heritage site, suffered damage.

• 'Everyone in this village is either dead or missing'
• Man narrowly avoids building collapse in Marrakesh
• Such a powerful earthquake is unusual for Morocco

Morocco's King Mohammed VI declared three days of national mourning on Saturday, as the scale of the devastation became clearer.

 

 

FULL STORY

 

Horrible my condolences to all the bereaved families 

Awful news.

 

My condolences to those affected.

These stories make for gut-wrenching reading.

Many survivors have lost their whole family. Spouse, children, parents and so on.

Losing your house and all of your possessions would seem fairly insignificant after that.

Edited September 11, 20232 yr by Tropicalevo

A shallow 6.8 earthquake is massive anywhere in the world.

  I am glad that many countries are helping with rescue and aid

for the poor people of Morocco. The media coverage is a big help for the

Moroccans who live abroad.