The death toll from the violent earthquake that struck Morocco on Friday night rose to 1,037 dead and 1,204 injured, including 721 in critical condition, according to the latest official toll announced by the Ministry of the Interior on Saturday.

The Ministry said that "the rescue operation has been continuing since last night," noting that "specialized intervention units consisting of search and rescue teams have been recruited," while health facilities in various affected areas are witnessing comprehensive mobilization to provide the necessary treatments.

The earthquake caused severe damage and panic in Marrakesh and many other cities, according to a new toll issued by the Ministry of the Interior.

The Rabat-based National Center for Scientific and Technical Research stated that the magnitude of the earthquake reached 7 degrees on the Richter scale and that its epicenter was located in the Al Haouz province, southwest of the city of Marrakesh, which is considered a major tourist destination.

The Ministry of Interior said in a statement on Saturday: “As of 10 a.m., 820 deaths and 672 injuries had been recorded, including 205 serious injuries.” A previous toll indicated 632 deaths and 329 injuries.

He explained, "394 deaths were recorded in Al Haouz Province, the epicenter of the earthquake, 271 deaths in Taroudant Province, 91 deaths in Chichaoua, and 13 deaths in Marrakesh."

This is the strongest earthquake to hit Morocco.

The Ministry of Interior indicated that the authorities "have harnessed all means and capabilities to intervene, provide assistance, and assess the damage."

The earthquake caused massive material damage, according to pictures and scenes reported by the local press and social media networks.
Scenes showed the collapse of part of a minaret in the famous Jemaa El Fna Square, which is considered the beating heart of Marrakesh, resulting in two wounded.

An Agence France-Presse correspondent saw hundreds of people flocking to this famous square to spend the night, fearing aftershocks. Some of them brought blankets and covers, while others slept directly on the ground.

Hoda, who lives in the city, told AFP while she was in the square, “We were walking in Jemaa el-Fna when the ground began to shake under our feet. We felt a shock. We are safe, but I am still in shock. At least ten members of my family died in Igokak ( A rural village in Al Haouz.) I can hardly believe it, two days ago I was with them.”

British tourist Mimi Theobald, 25, was preparing to eat desserts on the balcony of a restaurant with her friends, “when the tables started shaking and plates were flying, and we panicked.”

She added, "After that, we tried to return to the hotel to collect our bags and passports because our flight back home is tomorrow, but that was impossible because the hotel is located in the old city. There was rubble spread in the streets and it was not safe. This is the first time he experienced an earthquake. After the level decreased, "In shock, we realized that we were lucky to be alive."

In addition to Marrakesh, residents of Rabat, Casablanca, Agadir and Essaouira felt the earthquake, which sparked a state of panic.
A number of citizens took to the streets of these cities for fear of the collapse of their homes, according to pictures circulated on social media.

Pictures and videos posted by Internet users show the rubble of housing in the alleys of Marrakesh and cars damaged by falling stones.

Frenchman Michael Bizet, 43, who owns three traditional houses in old Marrakesh, told AFP by phone, "I was in my bed when everything started shaking. I felt as if my bed was going to fly. I went out into the street. It was complete chaos. Incredible."

The Regional Center for Blood Transfusion in Marrakesh called on citizens to go to its headquarters on Saturday to donate blood.

There were reactions of condolences to the earthquake victims, proposing aid from France, the United States, Spain, Russia, China, Ukraine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Egypt and other countries.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave "instructions to all governmental bodies and forces to provide all necessary assistance to the Moroccan people," according to a statement issued by his office.

Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose country is hosting the G20 summit in New Delhi, expressed his condolences to the relatives of the earthquake victims. He wrote on the X platform (formerly Twitter): “Very saddened by the loss of lives as a result of the earthquake in Morocco.”

On February 24, 2004, an earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale struck Al Hoceima Governorate, 400 kilometers northeast of Rabat, resulting in 628 deaths and severe material damage.

On February 29, 1960, a 5.7-magnitude earthquake destroyed the city of Agadir, located on the country's western coast, leaving more than 12,000 dead, or a third of the city's population.