According to an AFP report citing Paris City Hall, France decided to pay homage to the victims of the North African country by turning the Eiffel Tower dark at 11 p.m.
This was done as Morocco searched for survivors amid the strong 6.8 magnitude earthquake that destroyed the southwest of Marrakech and the cities close to the epicenter. Marrakech, the closest city to the epicenter, sustained damage to ancient buildings from the earthquake that struck Morocco’s High Atlas mountains late on Friday night, although the worst-hit places were in the neighboring mountains. According to Moroccan authorities, at least 2,012 people perished, and 2,059 others were injured, 1,220 of whom required immediate medical attention. The earthquake’s epicenter was situated roughly 72 kilometers (equivalent to 45 miles) to the southwest of Marrakech, as reported by the US Geological Survey.
Rescuers used their bare hands to dig through debris in the village of Amizmiz, which is close to the epicenter. Mohamed Azaw recounted the moment when he felt the ground trembling beneath him, and his house started tilting. In response, he hurried to evacuate his children, but his neighbors were unable to do the same. Tragically, they could not locate any survivors within that family. The father and son were found dead, and efforts are ongoing to locate the mother and daughter. Approximately 20 men, including firefighters and soldiers in fatigues, stood atop the wreckage of a house in Amizmiz as they worked to clear debris, pieces of carpet, and furniture that poked out of holes between pancaked concrete floors.
The instance when the earth began to shake was recorded on a street camera in Marrakech. Men were seen looking around and leaping to their feet, while others ran for cover into an alleyway before escaping as dust and debris tumbled all around them. In Marrakech’s historic district, multiple buildings collapsed, including a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Early Light-Off For the Eiffel Tower As Paris Conserves Energy
Furthermore, the internet monitoring organization NetBlocks documented disruptions to Marrakesh’s internet connectivity due to local power failures. According to the USGS, “the population in this region lives in structures that are very susceptible to earthquake shaking.” Morocco’s position between the African and Eurasian plates regularly causes earthquakes in the country’s northern region.
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