A frantic effort was underway on Saturday over mountainous terrain to rescue survivors of a powerful earthquake that struck about 50 miles from the city of Marrakesh overnight.
At least 1,037 people were killed in the quake, according to the interior ministry of Morocco, and at least several hundred were injured.
The quake struck in the High Atlas Mountains shortly after 11 p.m. on Friday with a magnitude of 6.8 and a depth of about 11 miles, the United States Geological Survey said in a preliminary report. It said the earthquake was the strongest to hit the area in more than 100 years.
The quake was felt in Marrakesh and also in the cities of Agadir on the Atlantic coast and Ouarzazate. Local news media posted photos of rubble-strewn streets and footage of people panicking as the shaking began.
Doctors Without Borders said it was sending teams to Morocco to provide support. Avril Benoît, the organization’s executive director in the United States, said that while the group does not have an established presence in Morocco, it was in touch with local authorities. “Our response will depend on the needs that are assessed on site,” she said in a statement.
Following are offers of aid and other reactions from foreign governments:
Algeria
Algeria, which broke off ties with Morocco two years ago, said it would open its air space for humanitarian and medical flights to Morocco. In a statement, Algeria’s presidency said it was ready to provide humanitarian aid and offer all its material and human capabilities in solidarity with the Moroccan people, if Morocco requests such help.
Turkey
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Ankara was ready to provide all kinds of support “to heal the wounds of the earthquake in Morocco”.
Turkey’s AFAD disaster management authority said 265 aid workers from AFAD, Turkish Red Crescent and other Turkish NGOs were ready to travel to the earthquake region in case Morocco calls for international assistance. It also said that Turkey was ready to deliver 1,000 tents to the affected areas.
France
“France … is ready to provide immediately its help for the rescue and assistance to the populations affected by this tragedy,” the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Valerie Pecresse, president of the Paris region, said on X it was offering 500,000 euros ($535,000)in aid for Morocco.
Benoit Payan, the mayor of Marseille, said firemen will be sent to help rescue crews in Morocco, adding that Marrakech is Marseille’s “sister city”.
The regions of Occitanie, Corsica and Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur jointly pledged 1 million euros in humanitarian aid for Morocco.
Spain
“The Spain military emergency unit and our embassy and consulates are at the disposal of Morocco,” Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said at a G20 meeting in New Delhi.
Antonio Nogales, president of Spain’s Firefighters Without Frontiers, told RTVE Spanish television: “We are in contact with the Moroccan authorities and we are ready to go and help.” The organization was involved in helping find survivors of the earthquake in Turkey in February.
Israel
Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said “Israel is extending its hand to Morocco in this difficult time that it is experiencing,” according to the ministry’s post on X, originally in Arabic.
Israel’s Magen David Adom national medical and disaster emergency service said its head contacted the president of Moroccan Red Crescent with an offer of help.
“Representatives from Magen David Adom are gearing up to depart within the next few hours,” it said in a statement. “They will be joining hands with delegations from the Ministry of Health and the Israel Defense Forces.”
Tunisia
The Tunisian presidency said President Kais Saied had
“authorised coordination with the Moroccan authorities to direct urgent aid and send civil protection teams to support the Kingdom’s search and rescue efforts. He also authorized the facilitation of a delegation from the Tunisian Red Crescent to contribute to relief operations and surround the injured.”
Romania
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said “the Romanian authorities are in close contact with the Moroccan authorities and ready to offer assistance”.
Taiwan
Taiwan’s fire department said it had put a team of 120 rescuers on standby to go to Morocco who can go the moment they get instructions from Taiwan’s foreign ministry.
