Moroccans on Sunday mourned the victims of a devastating earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people, as rescue teams raced to find survivors trapped in the rubble of flattened villages.
A woman sleeps on the ground in a park after being made homeless by the earthquake in Marrakech, Morocco.
Friday’s 6.8-magnitude quake struck 72km southwest of the tourist hub of Marrakesh, wiping out entire villages in rural areas. Al-Haouz province, where the epicentre of the earthquake was located, suffered the most deaths with 1,293, followed by the province of Taroudant with 452.Bouchra, another resident of Moulay Brahim, dried her tears with her scarf as she watched men digging graves to bury the victims.“I saw the devastation of the earthquake live, and I’m still shaking. It’s like a ball of fire that has swallowed up everything in its path,” she said.
Neighbouring Algeria, which has had rocky relations with Morocco, opened its airspace, which had been closed for two years, to flights carrying humanitarian aid and the injured.“It won’t be a matter of a week or two… We are counting on a response that will take months, if not years,” Hossam Elsharkawi, the organisation’s Middle East and North Africa director, said in a statement.
Residents buried around 70 victims in the nearby cemetary on Saturday, as the funeral rites were punctuated by cries and screams.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
'Terrible': SA moved as earthquake in Morocco kills over 800 and destroys homesAn earthquake in Morocco claimed hundreds of lives, leaving devastation in its wake. Mzansi peeps shared heartfelt condolences and well wishes to Moroccans.
Read more »
Everything you need to know about LaConco's new reality show ‘Forever Thina’The show will premiere on Sunday 10 September, taking the popular Sunday Sisonke slot.
Read more »
Morocco mourns quake victims as death toll passes 2,000The strongest-ever quake to hit the country has killed at least 2,012 people and injured over 2,059, many of them critically, according to the latest official figures.
Read more »
IN PICTURES: Morocco quake kills more than 600 peopleIt's been reported as the most powerful quake to ever hit Morocco.
Read more »
World leaders offer solidarity after devastating Morocco quakeThe 6.8-magnitude earthquake that hit late Friday killed at least 632 people and injured 329 others, including 51 in critical condition, according to Moroccan authorities.
Read more »