Morocco Earthquake: Death Toll Rises to 2862, Over 2500 Injured

By Staff, Agencies

Foreign rescue teams joined Moroccan rescue workers in a race against time to find survivors on Monday, as well as to aid hundreds of homeless people whose homes were flattened by a powerful earthquake on Friday night.

More than 48 hours have passed since the earthquake struck central Morocco, with the latest reports indicating 2,497 people died and 2,476 were injured.

As rescue efforts enter a third day, rescue teams are trying to reach potential survivors before what officials call the “critical period for search and rescue” runs out.

The Moroccan army have attempted to reach the villages near the epicenter of the earthquake but have encountered difficulties due to the sheer destruction.

The Moroccan government earlier announced that it accepted “at this stage” offers from four countries to send search and rescue teams, which included Spain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.

Spain's rescue team arrived in the country on Monday morning, consisting of 56 soldiers and 4 dogs. The team, arriving on an A400 plane in Marrakesh, were dispatched about 62 miles away to the Tala N'Yaaqoub village that was devastated by the earthquake, about 15 miles from the epicenter.

Other offers could be accepted in the future “should needs evolve,” the Moroccan Interior Ministry added.

The French government said on Monday that it had pledged $5.4 million to aid organizations in Morocco. France’s government announced that the money will go to organizations already active in the disaster zone, Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna told the local French BFM broadcaster.

Countries were not the only ones to help in the wake of the 6.8 magnitude earthquake. The heads of the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, African Union and the European Commission announced they have pledged to “mobilize our technical and financial tools and assistance” to help Morocco.