Death toll from the devastating 6.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Morocco on Friday night has jumped to 2,497, with another 2,476 confirmed injured, according to the country’s Interior Ministry in a situation report released on Monday.
The number of dead victims rose from a previous figure of 2,122 on Sunday as rescuers uncovered more dead bodies buried under the rubble, while the number of those injured rose from 2,400 to the new figure, the Ministry said.
“The Al Haouz province continues to record the majority of deaths, with 1,452 deaths, followed by Taroudant (764), Chichaoua (202), and Marrakech (18),” it said.
“No new deaths were confirmed in the provinces of Ouarzazate, Azilal, Agadir Ida-Ou-Tanane, Casablanca, Youssoufia, and Tinghir.”
Meanwhile, more support is coming in from around the world as the United Kingdom on Sunday sent
60 rescuers, four dogs and a four-person medical assessment team.
“The resources include key equipment for finding people in the rubble concrete cutters and seismic listening devices,” the report noted.
Spain has also sent 86 rescuers and eight search dogs, while several planes have also taken off from Qatar carrying rescue teams and emergency aid, a United Nations spokeswoman told a press conference on Monday afternoon.
“China and France are among several other nations which have pledged financial support to Morocco while the US has also offered support and said a team of disaster experts arrived on the ground on Sunday,” she said.
However, a pledge of €5m ($5.4m) from the French government, Morocco’s former colonial power, is yet to be accepted as Moroccan authorities say they are assessing aid offers because “a lack of co-ordination could be counter-productive”.
The two countries have had a frosty relationship over the past few years, but French Foreign Minister, Catherine Colonna insists it was up to Morocco to ask for French aid.
“We are ready to help Morocco. It’s a sovereign Moroccan decision and it’s up to them to decide,” she told journalists, while describing the issues as “a misplaced controversy.”
The BBC also gives an update on the rescue operation and the overall situation in the North African country.
“The hunt for survivors continues, but response teams are struggling to bring in machinery to remote areas and in some places villagers have been digging by hand and shovel to find survivors.
“With many isolated villages in the High Atlas Mountains flattened by the force of the earthquake, we’re hearing from a lot of communities devastated by the earthquake and struggling to get aid”, it said.