Over 2100 Killed in Morocco Earthquake, Death Toll to Rise Further

The 6.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Morocco on Friday has already claimed over 2100 lives. The death toll is expected to rise higher as the search for the missing people continues in remote areas of this African country.

It was Morocco’s deadliest earthquake since 1960 when a quake was estimated to have killed at least 12,000 people. The death toll has climbed to 2,122 with 2,421 people injured. Among those injured, over 1,400 are said to be in a critical state.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said more than 300,000 people have been affected by the disaster.

Relief workers are still finding it hard to reach the worst-affected villages in the High Atlas, a rugged mountain range where settlements are often remote. With many homes built of mud bricks and timber, structures in the area crumbled easily.

According to Moroccan media, the earthquake has led to the collapse of a historically important 12th-century mosque and has also damaged parts of Marrakech old city, a UNESCO World Heritage site.