Morocco earthquake : At least 632 killed in quake near Marrakesh

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  • Information Minister Murtaza Solangi calls Moroccan ambassador; extend full support
  • DNA
  • powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.8 has struck Morocco, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
  • At least 632 killed and 329 injured, according to Moroccan state media.
  • The quake hit just after 11pm local time (22:00 GMT).
  • The earthquake’s epicentre was at a depth of 18.5km (11.5 miles) and occurred about 72km (44 miles) northeast of Marrakesh, according to the USGS.
  • Footage on social media reported to be of the earthquake showed tremors being felt and people running into the streets and buildings shaking.
  • Internet connectivity disrupted in Marrakesh due to power cuts: Monitor
  • The connectivity to the Internet was disrupted in Marrakesh due to power cuts in the region after the devastating temblor, according to global internet monitor NetBlocks.
  • ‘We had a horrific night’: Marrakesh resident
  • Noureddine Bazine, a journalist who is also a Marrakesh resident, said that the earthquake was “sudden and catastrophic” for the residents of the city.
  • “We lived a horrific night full of nightmares; we are not used to such disasters,” he said, adding that the highest number of deaths were in the region of al-Haouz.
  • He also said: “In Marrakesh, the highest damage was in the old city, because the buildings are prone to collapse, and some of them can collapse even without an earthquake due to their fragile state.”