The earthquake that occurred on Friday evening, with a magnitude of 7 on the Richter scale, was centered in the Al Haouz province, southwest of the historic city of Marrakesh, which contains some of the country’s most famous and oldest monuments, including the Koutoubia Mosque and the Old City.
Destruction in the historic city
Following the earthquake, the most severe in a century, pictures posted online showed people running and screaming near the Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakesh, one of the city’s most famous urban landmarks.
The first construction of the Koutoubia Mosque dates back to the Andalusian engineer Yaish al-Maliki, commissioned by the Almohad Caliph Abd al-Mu’min ibn Ali al-Koumi in 1147 AD.
Moroccan media reported that the mosque suffered damage, but its extent was not immediately clear, and its 69-meter (226-foot) minaret is known as the “Roof of Marrakesh.”
In addition to the damage to the mosque, Moroccans posted video clips showing damage to parts of the famous red walls that surround the old city of Marrakesh, which is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Difficulty in quick rescue
Professor of Geology and Water Resources at Cairo University, Abbas Sharaqi, explains to Sky News Arabia what is behind the rapid impact of these archaeological sites on the earthquake:
- Morocco is not one of the countries located on the earthquake belt; Therefore, the buildings there are not designed to resist this type of violent earthquakes.
- Most of the antiquities in the earthquake area date back to the Islamic era and are centuries old.
- There is difficulty in rapid access for rescue teams to these monuments. Because it is located in narrow lanes, there are traditional professions, some of which are located on the tops of the mountains, and some of the roads leading to it are destroyed as a result of cracks or there are rocks and trees on them.
- These areas are primitive and their buildings are very weak. They are easily affected by a strong earthquake exceeding 7 degrees on the Richter scale. Therefore, although there is regular maintenance, it does not prevent it from being affected by earthquakes.
- Aid must be provided to Morocco from its neighboring countries and countries that have more advanced tools to deal with earthquake remnants.
Fast movements
The Moroccan government is actively working to facilitate some of the difficulties mentioned above, with regard to rapid access to affected archaeological areas.
In this regard, Abdul Rahim Yat Daoud, head of the town of Talaat Naqoub in Al Haouz Province, stated that the authorities are working to clear the roads to allow the passage of ambulances and aid to the affected residents.
But he said that the large distances between mountain villages meant that it would take time to know the extent of the damage, according to the Associated Press.
The Moroccan Armed Forces also posted on its account on the “X” website (formerly Twitter) that it had sent its vehicles to Al Haouz.
The Moroccan forces wrote that they were “mobilizing their logistical capabilities to participate in rescue operations as a result of the devastating earthquake in Al Haouz.”
1,037 people were killed and 1,204 injured in the strong earthquake that struck Morocco, causing severe damage, according to a new toll issued by the Ministry of the Interior.
The ministry said in a statement on Saturday: “As of 7 a.m., 632 deaths and 329 injuries were recorded, including 51 serious injuries,” in addition to the collapse of several buildings.
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