UPDATE: Death Toll After Morocco Earthquake Rises To 2,012 With 2,059 Injured

UPDATE: Sunday, September 10 at 2:24 am

THE death toll following the catastrophic earthquake in Morocco has now risen to 2,012 dead and 2,059 injured, including 1,404 seriously.

These data were published in the latest provisional data report from Morocco’s Ministry of the Interior. The Ministry stated that: ‘Public authorities continue their mobilisation to rescue, evacuate and care for the injured, and the mobilisation of all necessary resources to respond to the repercussions of this painful tragedy’.

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Saturday, September 9 at 10:15 pm

A wedding party of around 50 residents of Valencia had a lucky escape after the huge earthquake in Morocco brought down the ceilings in their Marrakesh hotel.

Among those attending the celebration on the outskirts of the Moroccan city when the quake struck late Friday, September 8, were the bride and groom from Castellón province.

Also a guest at the wedding was Esther Labaig, the Director General of Tourism of the Generalitat. ‘The ceiling fell in the room where we were staying. It was not our time yet. We have been born again’, Labaig told lasprovincias.es.

Their group had decided to travel to Morocco to celebrate the wedding in Marrakech because of the connection they have with this land, she explained.

They were having dinner in the garden when the quake struck

Labaig detailed: ‘We were fortunate enough to be in a location on the outskirts of Marrakech. We were having dinner in the garden at the time of the incident, which allowed us to avoid personal injuries. As soon as we noticed the tremors, we moved away from the main building’.

She pointed out that the hotel where the nuptials were taking place had extensive facilities, which allowed the complex’s staff to relocate them to low-rise villas so that they could sleep safely.

‘The main building was cracked and full of rubble. The truth is that it is overwhelming to see the hotel that we entered to celebrate the wedding only a few hours before now full of rubble and collapsed. We have to thank God because no one has been harmed here’, said the general director.

According to Labaig, they were going to try and carry on as normally as possible today now that the 50 people have found themselves in a safe place.

The earthquake measured 6.8 magnitude

The catastrophic earthquake that hit the northern region of Marrakech measured 6.8 magnitude. To date, it has claimed the lives of 1,305 people with another 1,832 injured, including 1,220 seriously, according to the latest preliminary report from Morocco’s Interior Ministry.

On its website, the Ministry explained that: ‘In execution of the High Royal Instructions, the public authorities are continuing their mobilisation in order to speed up rescue operations, the evacuation and care of the wounded, and the mobilisation of all the means necessary to respond to the repercussions of this painful tragedy’.

According to the US Geological Survey, Friday night’s earthquake in Al Haouz was the deadliest to hit Morocco since 1960. Its epicentre was registered in the High Atlas mountains and affected several provinces and prefectures of the Kingdom.

Those capable of donating blood have been seen in online footage forming long queues. Among them were members of the Moroccan men’s national football team.

Yassine Bounou is donating blood to Morocco earthquake victims! 🩸🇲🇦❤️

#زلزال_المغرب #مراكش #seisme #earthquake #بونو pic.twitter.com/0emguAJVdX

— AkramPRO (@iamAkramPRO) September 9, 2023