By Kwezikazi Mjuza
In the late hours of Friday evening on the 8th of September, Morocco experienced a very strong earthquake of 6,8 magnitude. The death toll currently stands at 2 000 and it is reported that the death toll is expected to rise as it went from 1 000 to 2 000 within a day. There are currently 2 000 reported injuries and there is a concern of an increase in injuries as well.
The tremors were so strong that they were felt throughout all the Northen African countries. This earthquake is the strongest earthquake that Morocco has had in over 100 years where the death toll reached a peak of 15 000 deaths. Marrakech suffered aftershocks throughout Saturday evening. Moroccans are sleeping collectively on the streets as they fear that the foundations of their homes may be damaged and are avoiding having their homes collapse on them. There are people and family members that are still missing and rescuers are hard at work trying to recover bodies of people and hopefully find some alive people under the piles of rubble.
The king of Morocco, Mohammed VI has ordered the military to open a field hospital to aid those that are abandoned in the fields. The country needs and is welcoming of assistance from other countries.
Spain has offered Morocco a helping and support and is underway sending equipment to Morocco. Despite decades of the two countries Algeria and Morocco feuding and two years later after Algeria decided to end diplomatic relations with Morocco, Algeria also offered to open its roads and airspace for convoys of humanitarians that will be making their way to Morocco. Algeria also extended a heartfelt condolences to the deaths and injuries endured by Moroccans.