The death toll from the devastating earthquake in Morocco has climbed to 2,497, according to a statement from the interior ministry on Monday. Additionally, 2,476 people have been reported as injured, updating the previous figures of 2,122 deceased and 2,400 wounded.
Search and rescue efforts are underway as Moroccan soldiers and aid teams, using both trucks and helicopters, work tirelessly to reach remote mountain towns that have been severely affected by the earthquake. Survivors are desperate for assistance in locating loved ones who may be trapped beneath the rubble.
So far, Moroccan officials have accepted aid from only four countries: Spain, Qatar, Britain, and the United Arab Emirates. Some foreign aid teams have reported that they are awaiting authorization to deploy. The Moroccan Interior Ministry has stated that they aim to prevent any lack of coordination, which could be counterproductive.
The United Nations estimates that approximately 300,000 people have been impacted by the earthquake, which had a magnitude of 6.8 and was made more dangerous due to its relatively shallow depth.
The majority of the destruction and casualties occurred in Al Haouz province in the High Atlas Mountains, where homes collapsed and winding roads were blocked by debris. In some cases, residents took it upon themselves to clear away rocks.
In the town of Amizmiz, people welcomed the arrival of trucks carrying soldiers on Sunday but pleaded for more assistance. Survivor Salah Ancheu described the situation as a catastrophe and expressed concern about the adequacy of aid.
Army units were deployed on Monday along a paved road leading from Amizmiz to more remote mountain villages. The state news agency, MAP, reported that bulldozers and other equipment were being used to clear the routes. Tourists and residents lined up to donate blood. In certain villages, individuals wept as police and young boys, wearing helmets, carried the deceased through the streets.
Offers of aid have poured in from around the world. Around 100 teams, consisting of a total of 3,500 rescuers, are registered with a U.N. platform and are prepared to be deployed in Morocco upon request, as reported by Rescuers Without Borders.
A Spanish search-and-rescue team arrived in Marrakech and proceeded to the rural area of Talat N’Yaaqoub, according to Spain’s Emergency Military Unit. Britain sent a 60-person search team equipped with four dogs, medical personnel, listening devices, and concrete-cutting tools.
