A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.8 has struck central Morocco, killing at least 296 people, the country’s interior ministry says.
The epicentre was in the High Atlas Mountains, 71km (44 miles) south-west of Marrakesh, at a depth of 18.5km, the US Geological Survey said.
The quake struck at 23:11 local time (22:11 GMT). Unverified video clips on X (formerly Twitter) show damaged buildings and rubble-strewn streets.
Moroccans posted videos showing buildings reduced to rubble and dust, and parts of the famous red walls that surround the old city in Marrakech, a UNESCO World Heritage site, damaged. Tourists and others posted videos of people screaming and evacuating restaurants in the city as throbbing club music played.
Watch: A video shows the aftermath of the earthquake that hit several regions in Morocco, leaving at least 296 people dead. #MoroccoEarthquake
Read more: https://t.co/MKy8gVkSXp pic.twitter.com/kac9iPyrc3
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) September 9, 2023