Foreign Desk: Death toll rises to 296 after powerful earthquake hits Morocco . On Friday (September 8) around 11 pm local time, the country was shaken by a strong earthquake of magnitude 6.8. Which lasted up to 20 seconds.
The country’s Ministry of Home has confirmed the death of 296 people due to the collapse of buildings in this terrible earthquake.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake struck at a depth of 18.5 km. It originated near the ski resort of Okaimeden in the Atlas Mountains.
Marrakesh, the country’s traditional old city, was the most affected by the earthquake.
Local Moroccan media reported that all houses collapsed in some areas of the Atlas Mountains. And there is still no clear information about the damage in those areas. However, it is feared that most people have died in those hilly areas.
After the earthquake, the mobile network along with electricity went out for 10 minutes. No one went inside their house even though electricity came.
The death toll is expected to rise. Because earthquakes that usually occur in the middle of the night take some time to know the extent of damage.