A powerful earthquake struck Morocco's High Atlas mountains late on Friday, killing at least 296 people, destroying buildings and sending residents of major cities rushing from their homes.
The Interior Ministry said the number constituted a preliminary death toll and that 153 people had been injured. A local official said most deaths were in mountain areas that were hard to reach.
Montasir Itri, a resident of the mountain village of Asni near the epicentre, said most houses there were damaged. "Our neighbours are under the rubble and people are working hard to rescue them using available means in the village," he said. Ighil, a mountainous area with small farming villages, is about 70 km southwest of Marrakech. The quake struck just after 11 p.m. .
Another Marrakech resident, Brahim Himmi, said he saw ambulances coming out of the old town and many building facades damaged. He said people were frightened and were staying outside in case of another quake. People in Rabat, about 350 km north of Ighil, and in the coastal town of Imsouane, about 180 km to its west, also fled their homes, fearing a stronger quake, according to Reuters witnesses.
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At least 296 people killed after powerful earthquake strikes MoroccoA powerful earthquake in Morocco has killed at least 296 people, the country's Interior Ministry reported.
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At least 296 people killed after powerful earthquake strikes MoroccoA powerful earthquake in Morocco has killed at least 296 people, the country's Interior Ministry reported.
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