A 6.8-magnitude earthquake shakes Morocco

A strong earthquake shook central Morocco on the night of Friday, September 8, to Saturday, September 9, 2023, causing material damage in several cities, but the authorities did not immediately report any casualties.

The epicenter of this earthquake, which measured 6.8 on the Richter scale according to the American Institute of Geophysics (USGS), was located southwest of the tourist city of Marrakesh, 320 km south of the capital, Rabat.

Panic among the population

For its part, the National Center for Scientific and Technical Research (CNRST), based in Rabat, indicated that the strength of the earthquake reached 7 degrees on the Richter scale, and that its epicenter was in Al Haouz Province.

Videos posted on social media showed buildings shaking and people running to gather outside. In addition to Marrakesh, the earthquake was felt in Rabat, Casablanca and Essaouira, which sparked a state of panic among the population. Many people took to the streets of these cities for fear of their homes collapsing, according to pictures posted on social media.

“There is not much damage, more panic. I heard screams during the earthquake. People in the squares, in cafes, prefer to sleep outside. There are pieces of facades that fell.”A resident of Essaouira, 200 km west of Marrakesh, told AFP in a telephone conversation.

In other videos, rubble can be seen in the streets and in slightly damaged buildings. Reuters was not immediately able to verify these photos.