The world awoke on Saturday, September 9 to horrific news of a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hitting Morocco.
This natural disaster is the deadliest the country has faced in over 120 years.
The death toll has exceeded 1,000 with at least another 1,000 injured and authorities fear that number will continue to rise.
Tourists have been caught up in the tragedy particularly from the UK where 700,000 Brits visit each year.
The tremors were felt as far away as Portugal and Algeria with 2 million people feeling strong shaking according to US Geological Survey’s Pager system.
The epicenter of the quake was in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains just 40 miles south of Marrakesh and close to popular ski resort Oukaimeden and Toubkal – North Africa’s highest peak.
Injured people filtered into Marrakesh seeking treatment while streets filled with lines of people hoping for safety after being advised by local authority to prepare for potential second earthquake due to old townhouses crumbling around them.
Street camera footage showed moment earth began shaking as men jumped up and ran for shelter while dust and debris tumbled around them.
Buildings have been reduced to rubble with bricks covering cars and streets while parts of red walls surrounding UNESCO World Heritage site old city have also been damaged according to CBS News.
Rescue workers used their bare hands picking through rubble trying desperately looking for survivors who were unfortunately not found alive in some cases such as Mohamed Azaw’s neighbors’ family.
The family has lost their father and son while still looking for the mother and daughter “when I felt the earth shaking beneath my feet and the house leaning, I rushed to get my kids out. But my neighbors couldn’t,” he said sadly.
Local media reported rescue efforts were slowed by traffic jams on roads leading mountain region which had been blocked by collapsed rock.
The US Geological Survey’s Pager system issued a red alert predicting extensive damage is probable and disaster likely widespread thus requiring national or international level response from past events that have held this alert level.
World leaders offered support including India Prime Minister Narendra Modi ready offer assistance and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez offering condolences relatives victims “Spain is with victims this tragedy and its families,” he wrote X social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
