After earthquake in Morocco: more than 1,300 dead +++ three days of national mourning EU and US start “historic” ship and train project together with partners

Morocco has declared three days of national mourning after the devastating earthquake. National flags at all public institutions must be flown at half-mast, the state news agency (MAP) reported on Saturday evening, citing a statement from the royal court. Formerly King Mohammed VI. Accordingly, a crisis meeting was held with security officials to discuss how to proceed.

The king thanked all “brotherly and friendly” countries that showed solidarity with the Moroccan people and showed their willingness to help, the statement continued.

More than 1,300 deaths

After the major earthquake in Morocco, the number of officially registered deaths has risen to 1,305, according to the authorities. At least 1,832 other people were injured, according to figures from the Moroccan Ministry of the Interior on Saturday evening.

In large areas, from the Atlas Mountains to the famous Old Town of Marrakech, buildings were partially completely destroyed and famous cultural monuments were damaged. After the earthquake, panic broke out among the population. Rescue workers frantically searched for survivors under the rubble. However, there were fears that the official death toll would continue to rise as troops reached remote areas.

Rescuers in several countries are already packing supplies in case Morocco requests it. “Time is running out,” said Julián Hidalgo, coordinator of the Spanish dog team of the Seville Fire Department. The chances of finding survivors under the rubble decreased by the hour.

Organizations such as Doctors Without Borders say they have contacted Moroccan authorities to send teams to the disaster area. “One thing is certain: the people in the disaster areas now urgently need humanitarian aid,” said Christian Reuter, Secretary General of the German Red Cross (DRK).

The earthquake occurred on Friday evening at 11:11 pm local time and lasted for several seconds. According to the American Earthquake Observatory USGS it had a magnitude of 6.8, according to the Helmholtz Center Potsdam 6.9. The epicenter was more than 70 kilometers southwest of Marrakesh in the Atlas Mountains. According to the USGS, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 11.5 miles. According to experts, earthquakes at such shallow depths are particularly dangerous.

Federal President Alain Berset (SP) expressed his condolences after the major earthquake in Morocco. On the short message service X, formerly Twitter, he wrote on Saturday morning that Switzerland stood in solidarity with Morocco.

“Our thoughts are with the Moroccans affected by this terrible earthquake,” Berset tweeted. The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs (EDA) decided on Saturday morning to offer assistance to Morocco.

The assistance offered from Switzerland is tailored to local needs; the FDFA’s humanitarian aid crisis cell remains active and continuously analyzes the situation. The FDFA wrote in a statement on Saturday afternoon that it is in regular contact with the Swiss embassy in Rabat and the responsible authorities in Morocco.

The embassy employees are doing well after the earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 to 6.9. There is no evidence of Swiss victims. The federal helpline received about a hundred questions late Saturday afternoon. There are currently 102 Swiss travelers in Morocco registered in the federal government’s TravelAdminApp. 2,545 Swiss live in Morocco.

Images and videos on social networks showed destroyed buildings and damaged parts of the famous red walls surrounding Marrakech’s UNESCO World Heritage Old Town on Saturday evening and early morning. Other videos showed people screaming as they left restaurants in the city. Deaths were reported in many provinces. Shortly afterwards there was a 4.9 aftershock. Many stayed outside for fear of further earthquakes. Frightened residents stood in the streets or crouched on sidewalks.

Strongest earthquake in a century

According to the Moroccan Ministry of the Interior, most damage occurs outside the cities. However, some affected areas could not yet be reached on Saturday. The earthquake was felt within a radius of 400 kilometers, Nasser Jabour, head of a department at the National Institute of Geophysics, told Moroccan news agency MAP. It is the first time in a century that such a strong earthquake has been recorded in Morocco.

The quake also woke people from their sleep in Spain and Portugal. It was also felt in Algeria. However, nothing was known about any damage or casualties there. Moroccan news site Hespress reported, citing the Ministry of the Interior, that the armed forces and civil protection used all means to provide aid and assess the damage. The Technical Assistance Organization (THW) also prepared for a possible relief operation on Saturday. But no request for help has yet been received from Morocco, a spokesperson said.

Parts of the UNESCO World Heritage Site have been damaged

The major earthquake in Morocco also damaged parts of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Marrakech’s Old Town. The regional head of the Moroccan Ministry of Culture, Hassan Hernan, confirmed to the German news agency on Saturday that buildings in Marrakech’s medina had been partially damaged. Some historic buildings showed cracks. “The picture will not be complete for another 48 hours, but what is certain is that damage to important historical sites in the old city has been minimal so far,” Hernan said.

Known for its narrow streets and many traders, the medina – the old city – is usually a popular destination for tourists. After the earthquake it would be full of rubble. Images on Moroccan television also showed large cracks and collapsed sections in part of the medieval city wall. Hernan said the Ministry of Culture and local authorities are working on a comprehensive assessment of the damage to all houses and monuments in the city.

Help offers from all over the world

The European Union has offered help to Morocco. “The EU is ready to support Morocco in these difficult moments,” EU Council President Charles Michel wrote on the short message service X (formerly Twitter). The news from the country is terrible.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also expressed his condolences:

US President Joe Biden said he was “deeply saddened” by the loss of life and devastation caused by the earthquake in Morocco. “Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this terrible tragedy,” the White House said in a statement on Saturday. His government is in contact with the Moroccan authorities. “The United States stands with Morocco and my friend King Mohammed VI. at this difficult moment,” Biden wrote. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States is ready to provide Morocco with “all necessary support” in dealing with the disaster.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who could not attend the summit due to a corona infection, assured Morocco of his country’s solidarity. “Spain supports the victims and their families of this tragedy,” the socialist wrote on platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa was also appalled. “The earthquake in Morocco saddens us deeply and I express our condolences to His Majesty the King, the families of the victims and the entire Moroccan people, our neighbors,” he wrote on X. Portuguese Foreign Minister Teresa Gouveia offered the aid from her country in a message “as part of civil protection”, as the newspaper “Público” reported, citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Lisbon.

Not a typical earthquake area

Israel also wants to provide humanitarian aid to Morocco and send search parties after the major earthquake. All government authorities have been ordered to prepare to send an aid delegation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Saturday. The Israeli people support the Moroccan people “in this difficult hour,” Netanyahu said. Israeli media also reported that Defense Minister Joav Galant had ordered the army to prepare to send search and rescue units.

Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed his condolences to the King of Morocco. The Pope expressed his deep sadness in a letter of condolence.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also expressed his condolences. “We support our Moroccan brothers and sisters with all means on this difficult day,” Erdogan wrote on Platform. More than 50,000 people died.

Algeria wants to reopen airspace with Morocco

Despite diplomatic tensions, Algeria has offered to reopen its airspace to its neighbor in the wake of the major earthquake in Morocco. As state news agency APS reported on Saturday, Algerian authorities “have expressed their full readiness to provide humanitarian assistance.” Accordingly, the airspace should be reopened for flights of wounded and injured people and for the transport of humanitarian aid “in case of a request from the Kingdom of Morocco”.

Algeria and Morocco have not maintained diplomatic relations since August 2021. The reason was ‘hostile actions by Rabat’, it was said at the time. The dispute concerned areas in Western Sahara. In this context, Algeria closed its airspace to all Moroccan aircraft. The border has been closed for a long time.

Earthquakes are relatively rare in North Africa. According to Al Arabiya broadcaster, a magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck near Agadir in 1960, killing thousands of people. The last major earthquake struck Morocco in 2004 with a magnitude of 6.4. More than 600 people died then. (lst/leo/sda/dpa)