A powerful earthquake that struck Morocco on Friday night has claimed at least 1037 lives, according to a new official report.
The earthquake’s epicentre was in the province of Al-Haouz, southwest of the city of Marrakech, a well-known tourist destination.
The Moroccan Centre for Scientific and Technical Research (CNRST) reported that the epicentre of the quake was located in the province of Al-Haouz, southwest of the city of Marrakech, a popular destination for foreign tourists, at 23:11 local time (22:11 GMT), causing widespread damage and panic in Marrakech and several other cities.
The earthquake killed 820 people and injured 672, 205 of them seriously, the Ministry of the Interior said in a statement.
The previous toll was 632 dead and 329 injured.
More than a third of the deaths (394) were recorded in Al-Haouz, the epicentre of the quake, and in Taroudant (271) further south, the same source said.
This is the most powerful earthquake to hit the kingdom to date.
The earthquake caused extensive damage in several towns, reports said.
Hundreds of people have flocked to the city’s iconic square to spend the night for fear of aftershocks.
