The death toll from the most violent earthquake that struck Morocco on Friday night has risen to more than two thousand people, and the Kingdom has declared a three-day national mourning.

The Ministry of Interior said in a statement, “As of 10 p.m. (21:00 GMT), the number of deaths caused by the earthquake had reached 2,012 people.”

Likewise, the number of wounded rose to 2,059, including 1,404 in serious condition, according to the same source, who indicated that the authorities “continue their efforts to rescue the wounded, evacuate them, take care of the injured, and mobilize all necessary capabilities.”

The majority of deaths are concentrated in the most affected provinces of Al Haouz (1,293) and Taroudant (452), south of Marrakesh.

The two regions include many villages scattered in the heart of the Atlas Mountains, most of which are inaccessible areas and the majority of the buildings in them do not respect earthquake resistance conditions.

The Royal Court announced that King Mohammed VI chaired a meeting on Saturday evening to discuss the situation following the disaster.