Rescue workers search for survivors in a collapsed house in Moulay Brahim in Morocco's Al-Haouz province (AFP)

A devastating earthquake hit Morocco, resulting in the deaths of over 2,000 people late Friday night. This seismic event caused people to hastily leave their homes and take refuge in the streets, causing buildings in hilly villages and historic towns to collapse.

Rescue teams continue to search for potential survivors or the bodies of victims amidst the debris of collapsed homes, using cranes and excavation machinery.

Meanwhile, light aftershocks were recorded, which were felt by Morocco's residents early Sunday morning.

The number of casualties was anticipated to increase as rescue teams faced difficulties on Saturday while trying to navigate roads obstructed by boulders to access isolated mountain communities heavily affected by the earthquake in order to locate survivors, a local source confirmed to Al Mayadeen Net.

An old lady was rescued from under the rubble after being stuck for more than 12 hours.#MoroccoEarthquake #المغرب
#زلزال_المغرب
#زلزال_مراكش
#تضامنا_مع_المغرب pic.twitter.com/TF1gbPGdcv
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) September 9, 2023

According to Morocco's Interior Ministry, the majority of the damage occurred in rural areas rather than urban centers. The ministry reported on Saturday night that a minimum of 2,012 people lost their lives in the earthquake, with the highest casualties recorded in Marrakech and five nearby provinces, near the epicenter. Additionally, the ministry indicated that 2,059 more individuals sustained injuries, with 1,404 of them in critical condition.

Aerial shot of some of damaged villages in the atlas mountains after the strongest earthquake that hit Morocco since 123 years #Morocco #earthquake #Morocco #deprem #المغرب #مراكش #moroccoearthquake #moroccosismo #strongearthquake #marrakesh #marrakech #Marrakesh #زلزال… pic.twitter.com/EPlYrFiQT0
— Shadab Javed (@JShadab1) September 10, 2023

Moroccans uploaded videos demonstrating the harm done to sections of the renowned red walls encircling the historic city, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Isolated rural communities, such as those in the drought-affected Ouargane Valley, found themselves largely disconnected from the outside world as they experienced power outages and the loss of cellphone service.

It is worth noting that Morocco's King Mohamed VI declared a three-day national mourning in response to the deadly earthquake, the royal palace said on Saturday.

Mohamed VI also ordered the government to source accommodation, food, and all other basic needs for those who have been affected by the earthquake, which will be funded by a special account at Morocco's Central Bank.

Concurrently, Morocco's geophysical center reported that the earthquake occurred in the Ighil region of the High Atlas mountains, reporting a magnitude of 7.2. Morocco has historically been a hotspot for earthquakes, with some resulting in thousands of casualties, as well as significant material losses.

The North African country is located in a seismically active region at one of the largest intracontinental belts in the world, as it is situated on part of the African Plate and the Atlas Mountain Range.