1000 killed after M6.8 earthquake jolts Morocco

People took shelter in the streets of Marrakesh after a powerful earthquake shook Morocco late Friday, killing over 1000 people causing widespread damage and sending terrified residents and tourists scrambling to safety in the middle of the night.

The 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck in Morocco’s High Atlas mountain range shortly after 11 p.m. local time at the relatively shallow depth of 18.5 kilometers, the United States Geological Survey said, with the epicenter located about 72 kilometers southwest of Marrakech, a city of some 840,000 people and a popular tourist destination.

The earthquake was felt in many cities across Morocco, including Rabat and Casablanca, the largest city in the North African country.