More than 1,000 killed, 1,200 hurt as powerful earthquake strikes Morocco

More than 1,000 people were killed and about 1,200 injured as a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Morocco in the intervening night of Friday and Saturday.

The Moroccan government has said that the earthquake death toll rose to 1,037, while more than 1,200 were injured. 

The horrified tremors of the earthquake damaged buildings and sent terrified residents fleeing their homes into the streets for safety, Al Jazeera reported.

According to Al Jazeera, residents of Marrakesh, the nearest big city to the epicentre, said some buildings collapsed in the old city, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Local television showed images of a fallen mosque minaret with rubble lying on smashed cars.

An earthquake of magnitude 6.8 on the Richter scale hit 56 km W of Ouka'medene, Morocco late on Friday night, the United States Geological Survey reported.

The earthquake took place at 03:41:01 (UTC+05:30) at a depth of 18.5 km.

The magnitude of the earthquake caused pulses to travel from Sidi Ifni in the south to Rabat in the north and beyond.

The epicentre is 72 kilometre west of Marrakesh, a major economic centre.

According to the USGS, its epicentre was found to be Latitude: 31.110 N and Longitude: 8.440 W respectively.

Videos and pictures shared on social media showed mountains of rubble and dust clouds as walls gave way to the earthquake's intensity.

In other posts, frightened locals could be seen fleeing into the street and out of nearby buildings in search of safety.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed grief at the loss of lives in an earthquake in Morocco and said India is ready to offer all possible assistance to it in this difficult time.

Modi began his opening remarks at the G20 summit by offering condolences to those affected by the tragedy.

"In this difficult hour the entire world community is with Morocco and we are ready to offer them all possible assistance," he said.

Moroccans posted videos showing buildings reduced to rubble and dust and parts of the famous red walls that surround the old city in historic Marrakech, a UNESCO World Heritage site, damaged.

Modi had earlier said on X, "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. 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."