Morrocco Quake: Khalil George Lamented Loss Of 1000 Lives

News Desk

Islamabad: Ministry of Human Rights Caretaker Federal Minister Khalil George expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of more than 1,000 lives and property caused by the earthquake in Morocco.

The minister further said that he sympathises with the affected families and is with the government and people of Morocco in this hour of trial.

The quake struck in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains late on Friday night in the southwestern region, damaging historic buildings in Marrakech, the nearest city to the epicentre, while the most badly affected areas were in the nearby mountains.

With a magnitude of 6.8 recorded, it has killed 1,037 people and injured another 672. It was gauged by the US Geological Survey at a magnitude of 6.8 with an epicentre some 72 km (45 miles) southwest of Marrakech, according to the Interior Ministry.

In Marrakech (city in Morocco), where 13 people were confirmed dead, residents spent the night in the open, afraid to go home.

In the heart of its old city, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site, a mosque minaret had fallen in Jemaa al-Fna Square.

It was Morocco’s deadliest earthquake since 1960, when a quake was estimated to have killed at least 12,000 people, according to the US Geological Survey. At a depth of 18.5 kilometres, experts said this was an unusually large tremor for the area.

Turkey, where powerful earthquakes in February killed more than 50,000 people, said it was ready to provide support.

Algeria, which broke off ties with Morocco last year, said it would open airspace for humanitarian and medical flights.