RABAT: Survivors of Morocco’s deadliest earthquake in more than six decades struggled to find food, water and shelter on Sunday as the search for the missing continued in remote villages and the death toll of more than 2,100 seemed likely to rise further.
Many people spent a third night in the open after the 6.8 magnitude quake hit late on Friday. Relief workers face the challenge of reaching the worst-affected villages in the High Atlas, a rugged mountain range where settlements are often remote and where many houses crumbled.
The death toll climbed to 2,122 with 2,421 people injured, state TV reported. Morocco said it may accept relief offers from other countries and will work to coordinate them if needed.
The damage done to Morocco’s cultural heritage became more evident as local media reported the collapse of a historically important 12th-century mosque. The quake also damaged parts of Marrakech’s old city, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
It was Morocco’s deadliest earthquake since 1960 when a quake was estimated to have killed at least 12,000 people. The army, mobilised to help the rescue effort, set up a camp with tents for the homeless. With most shops damaged or closed, residents struggled to get food and supplies.
The quake’s epicentre was 72 km (45 miles) southwest of Marrakech, a city beloved by Moroccans and foreign tourists for its medieval mosques, palaces and seminaries.
The government said on Sunday it has set up a fund for those affected by the earthquake. The government has also said it is reinforcing search-and-rescue teams, providing drinking water and distributing food, tents and blankets. The World Health Organization said more than 300,000 people have been affected by the disaster.
READ MORE: Morocco earthquake kills more than 2,000 people
Spain said 56 officers and four sniffer dogs have arrived in Morocco, while a second team of 30 people and four dogs was heading there. Britain said it was deploying 60 search-and-rescue specialists and four dogs on Sunday, as well as a four-person medical assessment team. Qatar also said its search-and-rescue team departed for Morocco.
US President Joe Biden expressed his “sadness about the loss of life and devastation” caused by the quake. “We stand ready to provide any necessary assistance to the Moroccan people,” Biden told a news conference in Hanoi, Vietnam.
France said it stood ready to help and was awaiting a formal request from Morocco. Other countries offering assistance included Turkey, where earthquakes in February killed more than 50,000 people.
“The next two to three days will be critical for finding people trapped under the rubble,” said Caroline Holt, global director of operations for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Holt said the international aid system has been waiting for an invitation from Morocco to assist, adding this was not necessarily unusual as the government assesses needs.
Morocco has declared three days of mourning and King Mohammed VI called for prayers for the dead to be held at mosques across the country.
