* Rescuers are racing against time to search for survivors as the death toll surged to at least 2,122 from a deadly earthquake that hit central Morocco two days ago.
* In a residential neighborhood in Amizmiz, a small town at the foot of the quake-hit mountain range, Xinhua reporters saw police and local residents digging through the rubble with shovels and even with their bare hands as machines can not pass the narrow alleyways between buildings.
* At least 2,122 people have been killed and 2,421 others injured in the earthquake, according to the latest figures released by the Moroccan Interior Ministry Sunday afternoon.
* On Saturday, the Red Cross Society of China announced that it would provide the Moroccan Red Crescent with 200,000 dollars in cash as emergency humanitarian assistance for its rescue operations and would follow the relief needs in the country.
AMIZMIZ, Morocco, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Rescuers are racing against time to search for survivors as the death toll surged to at least 2,122 from a deadly earthquake that hit central Morocco two days ago.
They were reportedly struggling to reach the most affected areas, as the epicenter was in the isolated, hard-to-reach Atlas Mountains region and roads leading up there were blocked by fallen boulders.
DIGGING WITH BARE HANDS
The situation on the ground posed a vast challenge to search and rescue efforts, said Caroline Holt, director of disaster, climate and crises for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) on Sunday, identifying "getting heavy machinery into those remote areas" as a "priority."
Rescuers work near the epicenter of a massive earthquake in Azrou, Morocco, on Sept. 10, 2023. (Photo by Saouri Aissa/Xinhua)
In a residential neighborhood in Amizmiz, a small town at the foot of the quake-hit mountain range, Xinhua reporters saw police and local residents digging through the rubble with shovels and even with their bare hands as machines can not pass the narrow alleyways between buildings.
Piles of building debris left by the quake were everywhere in Amizmiz as those built with mud bricks could not withstand strong tremors.
In the open areas along the main road, makeshift tents were pitched up to shelter local residents, who had spent three nights outdoors for fear of more aftershocks.
"We need food and cover, they are the most important for us now," said Amin, a local resident without giving his full name. He added that being stranded outdoors for another night was particularly difficult for the elders and children.
Abdessamad el-Gzouli, another local resident, told Xinhua that villagers in the mountain areas suffered more damage and needed more help.
"Here in Amizmiz, there are deaths, but not so many. But in the mountainous villages, the houses are not so good, and there could be many, many deaths," he said.
"People need to go there, to help them," he said, pointing at the mountains that are hard to reach.
HEAVY LOSSES
At least 2,122 people have been killed and 2,421 others injured in the earthquake, according to the latest figures released by the Moroccan Interior Ministry Sunday afternoon.
Of the death toll, 1,351 deaths were reported in the Al Haouz Province, 492 in Taroudant Province, 201 in Chichaoua, and 17 in Marrakesh, said the ministry.
A man walks among the rubble of a destroyed building after a massive earthquake in Tahannaout, Morocco, on Sept. 9, 2023. (Photo by Saouri Aissa/Xinhua)
The 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit at 11:11 p.m. local time (2211 GMT) on Friday at a depth of 18.5 km, said the United States Geological Survey.
Later, Morocco's National Seismic Monitoring and Alert Network measured it at 7 on the Richter scale and a depth of 8 km, a relatively shallow depth. When an earthquake strikes, the shallower the depth is, the more destructive it could be.
The earthquake also caused significant damage to many historical sites in the region, including the Tinmel Mosque, a 12th-century mosque located in the village of Tinmel in the High Atlas Mountains.
In the old city of Marrakesh, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, some of its historical red walls that encircle the ancient city center, created in the early 12th century, crumbled due to the powerful tremor, while squares and traffic roundabouts were crowded with people seeking refuge.
INTERNATIONAL AID
The IFRC had previously cautioned that the immediate 24 to 48 hours were crucial for life-saving activities, and it anticipated that assistance might be required for an extended period, potentially spanning months or even years.
The global humanitarian network has allocated 1 million Swiss francs (1.12 million U.S. dollars) from its emergency disaster fund to assist the Moroccan Red Crescent in its on-site efforts.
Rescuers transfer an injured near the epicenter of a massive earthquake in Azrou, Morocco, on Sept. 10, 2023. (Photo by Saouri Aissa/Xinhua)
On Saturday, the Red Cross Society of China announced that it would provide the Moroccan Red Crescent with 200,000 dollars in cash as emergency humanitarian assistance for its rescue operations and would follow the relief needs in the country.
China International Development Cooperation Agency spokesperson Xu Wei said on Saturday that China is willing to provide Morocco with emergency humanitarian assistance according to the needs of the disaster-affected people.
Fan Xiaosheng, chief of the Chinese medical team to Morocco, told Xinhua that the medical team had called the Moroccan Health Ministry and expressed its willingness to provide necessary medical assistance.
"We have experienced orthopedic surgeons in our team. We can be on call any time if Morocco needs our help," Fan said.
As of Sunday night, Spain, Britain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have sent their search and rescue teams to Morocco. Türkiye, Israel and Arab countries including Tunisia, Palestine and Algeria also pledged assistance. (Video reporters: Shuai Anning, Tian Ye, Lu Jiafei, Huo Jing, Wang Dongzhen and Zhao Manjun; video editors: Zhang Yueyuan, Zhao Xiaoqing, Zheng Xin, Zhou Sa'ang and Li Ziwei)■
