Powerful earthquake strikes Morocco, killing more than 600 and damaging historic Marrakech

CNN
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A powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Morocco Friday night, killing more than 600 people and damaging buildings in the historic city of Marrakech in what the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said was the strongest tremor to hit that part of the North African nation in more than a century.

The quake struck in Morocco’s High Atlas mountain range shortly after 11 p.m. local time at the relatively shallow depth of 18.5 kilometers (11.4 miles), USGS said, with the epicenter located about 72 kilometers (44.7 miles) southwest of Marrakech, a city of some 840,000 people and a popular tourist destination.

At least 632 people were killed, and 329 others were wounded – including 51 in critical condition, state-run TV Al Aoula reported, citing Morocco’s Interior Ministry.