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.
So far 2,012 people have been listed killed and 1,404 others critically injured, according to Moroccan authorities, but the toll is expected to rise further as rescuers dig through the rubble of collapsed houses in remote areas of the High Atlas mountains.
Rescuers in Morocco are searching for survivors from Friday’s powerful earthquake. More than 2,100 people are confirmed dead, and rescuers warn the toll is still expected to rise.
The worst destruction has been in isolated mountain areas, which are difficult to access. Residents have described whole villages suffering damage and rescuers unable to retrieve bodies from rubble.
In Marrakech, the nearest major city, many residents spent a second night sleeping on the streets, too afraid to return to their homes. Historic sites in the popular tourist destination have been damaged.
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI declared three days of mourning and ordered mosques nationwide to hold funeral prayers on Sunday.
Here’s how to help victims of the earthquake in Morocco.
A small mosque at the heart of the Marrakech medina in the city’s historical quarter was a treasured place of prayer for the hundreds of traders working at the busy market outside.
The mosque, located in the corner of the famous Jemaa el-Fna square, had a beautiful tower which — once adorned with white triangle decoration — has almost entirely collapsed in the powerful earthquake that struck the area on Friday night.
The beautiful building is barely recognizable now. The ornate tower is almost entirely gone – just one bare stump of bricks sticking out of the rubble.
Outside the damaged mosque, local resident Zined Hatimi recalled the terror of Friday night.
“People were inside praying and they started running out. Nobody was staying inside,” the 53-year-old told CNN. Like many others, she was too scared to go home.
The medina district, a UNESCO World Heritage site, dates back centuries and is enclosed by walls built of red sandstone. Once defending the city from danger, large parts of these walls have been damaged in the quake. Long sections are showing deep cracks and parts have crumbled.