The death toll Saturday had passed 1,300 and international search and rescue teams were still waiting on a green light from local authorities.
. It was the strongest quake to hit the area in more than a century, with the shock felt hundreds of miles away in Casablanca, Rabat and Fez.1,305 people have been killed and another 1,832 injured, including 1,200 in critical condition, according to Morocco’s interior ministry. Experts said that the death toll was likely to rise significantly.
Other families said they were camping out in the heat until the risk subsided. Marrakesh resident Faisal BaddourThe first statement from Morocco’s Royal Palace, almost 20 hours after the earthquake, said that King Mohammed VI had chaired an emergency meeting with his cabinet and military officials. Reinforcements would be deployed to bolster search and rescue crews around the epicenter and a fund would be opened for public donations to support the effort, the statement said.
By Saturday evening, neither the king nor Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch had addressed the nation. Around the world, foreign allies said they had rescue teams on standby to deploy, but needed the go-ahead from the government. The United States also offered help on Saturday: “I express my deep sadness at the loss of life and destruction caused by yesterday’s earthquake in Morocco and extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of those affected,” Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a statement.
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