RAMALLAH, Saturday, September 9, 2023 (WAFA) – President Mahmoud Abbas has instructed Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh to dispatch rescue, relief and civil defense teams to Morocco to provide all possible aid to the victims of the devastating earthquake that struck several regions in the brotherly nation, resulting in hundreds of casualties, injuries, and significant damages.
President Abbas has also expressed his heartfelt condolences to the people of Morocco and their leadership, affirming that the Palestinian people stand in solidarity with their Moroccan brothers and sisters during this difficult time.
The 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck in Morocco’s High Atlas mountain range shortly after 11 p.m. local time at the relatively shallow depth of 18.5 kilometers, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said, with the epicenter located about 72 kilometers (44.7 miles) southwest of Marrakech, a city of some 840,000 people and a popular tourist destination.
At least 820 people were killed, and thousands more were wounded – including 51 in critical condition, state-run TV Al Aoula reported, citing Morocco’s Interior Ministry. It is Morocco’s deadliest quake since 2004, when an eartquake struck the port city of Al Hoceima and killed more than 600 people.
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