On September 8, a strong earthquake hit Morocco, which made hundreds of people lose their lives. The earthquake was so strong that it resulted in a huge loss of life and property. The earthquake shivers were also strongly felt in the city of Marrakech.
As per the Interior Ministry of Morocco, approximately 632 people passed away due to the earthquake, specifically in Marrakech, along with five other provinces near the epicenter of the earthquake. Additionally, around 329 people were badly injured due to the earthquake. These are just the reported numbers and they may rise as the search for the missing is underway.
While Morocco is dealing with the hard situation, the world leaders are extending their condolences. The aftershocks are still there, and thus the world leaders are extending their help. For instance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed his condolences and offered "all possible assistance" to Morocco through a tweet.
Extremely pained by the loss of lives due to an earthquake in Morocco. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the people of Morocco. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. India is ready to offer all possible assistance to…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 9, 2023
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The earthquake
The earthquake in Morocco has led to huge damage to both life and property. According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake hitting Morocco held a magnitude of 6.8. It hit at 11.11 pm local time, i.e. 3.41 am IST. Just 19 minutes after the strong earthquake, an aftershock hit the region again with a magnitude of 4.9.
The town of Ighil was the epicenter of the earthquake. This region is approximately 70 km southwest of the historical city of Marrakech. According to the US Geological Survey, the epicenter was approximately 18.5 km below the surface of the Earth. However, the seismic agency of Morocco claimed that the depth was 11 km. Even if the information from the seismic agency of Morocco is correct, it was still a shallow earthquake indeed.
As per the experts, earthquakes like these are relatively more dangerous. The reasoning behind this claim is that such quakes hold more energy than when they come to the surface.
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Was the country prepared?
North Africa is not a region that experiences earthquakes too often, as per the USGS. Head of the Seismic Monitoring and Warning Department, National Institute of Geophysics, Lahcen Mhanni, stated that this earthquake was the strongest one ever in the mountain region.
This clearly implies the fact that since Morocco is not an earthquake-prone country and was not expecting any earthquakes, it was not prepared for the damage.
It was in the year 1960 when a huge earthquake compelled the country to make amendments to its construction rules so that buildings could withstand such calamities. However, most Moroccan buildings, particularly the ones in the rural areas are not designed in a way that they can withstand powerful tremors like this.
Why did such an earthquake hit Morocco?
Morocco is a country with low seismic rates, making such huge quakes a rare possibility in the region. However, as per the USGS, “large destructive earthquakes have been recorded and reported from Morocco in the western Mediterranean”.
Earthquakes like these take place because of the northward convergence of the African plate concerning the Eurasian plate along a plate boundary. According to the USGC, the earthquake in Morocco was a result of “oblique-reverse faulting at shallow depth within the Moroccan High Atlas Mountain range”.
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