20 September 2024,   01:37
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More than 2,100 killed by earthquake near Marrakech, Morocco

Rescuers in Morocco are battling to find survivors from Friday’s powerful earthquake, with more than 2,100 people killed and remote villages near the epicenter left in ruins, writes CNN.

There have been offers of help from around the world but it is not clear how much aid is reaching those in need. The United Nations on Saturday said it offered support but Morocco was handling the response itself.

Though on Sunday, dozens of Spanish rescuers arrived in Marrakech after Morocco officially requested help, say Spanish officials. Morocco’s King Mohammed VI also thanked Spain, Qatar, Britain and the United Arab Emirates for sending aid, state-run broadcaster al-Aoula reported.

The 6.8-magnitude quake struck late on Friday. It was also the strongest to hit the region around the ancient city of Marrakech in a century, according to the US Geological Survey.

The death toll climbed to 2,122 on Sunday afternoon, state-run broadcaster 2M said, with a further 2,421 people injured.

The number of fatalities is expected to rise further as rescuers dig through the rubble of collapsed houses in remote areas of the Atlas Mountains.

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