Death toll in Morocco earthquake nears 2,500

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Residents flee their homes outside Marrakech, Morocco. Associated Press/Photo by Mosa'ab Elshamy

Death toll in Morocco earthquake nears 2,500

Rescue workers on Monday reached remote mountain villages in the High Atlas Mountains. A 6.8 magnitude earthquake on Friday and a 3.9 magnitude aftershock Sunday killed at least 2,497 people and injured more than 2,400. Isolated mountain communities suffered the worst damage, which left thousands of people without shelter. The earthquake is the deadliest to hit Morocco in more than 60 years, according to the international disaster database EM-DAT.

How are other countries responding? Rescue crews from Spain, Britain, Qatar, and the United States on Monday were in Morocco to help with recovery efforts. At least seven other countries are prepared to send emergency teams and resources if Morocco requests their help. Algeria on Saturday said it would open its air space for humanitarian and medical flights to Morocco. Algeria broke off ties with its neighbor two years ago.

Dig deeper: Read Sharon Dierberger and Onize Ohikere’s report in WORLD Magazine about a major earthquake in Turkey and Syria earlier this year.

Lauren Canterberry

Lauren Canterberry is a reporter for WORLD. She graduated from the World Journalism Institute and the University of Georgia with a degree in journalism, both in 2017. She worked as a local reporter in Texas and now lives in Georgia with her husband.