France’s Foreign Ministry has confirmed the deaths of four French citizens in the earthquake that struck Morocco on Friday night, registering a magnitude of 7 on the Richter scale.
According to reports from French media outlets, 15 other French citizens sustained injuries as a result of the earthquake.
As of the latest update until 10 p.m. on Saturday, the earthquake has claimed the lives of 2,012 individuals and left 2,059 people injured, including 1,404 in critical condition, according to a statement from the Moroccan Ministry of Interior.
The fatalities are distributed as follows: 1,293 in the Hoceima region, 452 in the Taroudant region, 41 in the Ouarzazate region, and 15 in the Marrakech urban area.
There have been no reported new fatalities in the regions of Chichaoua, Azilal, Agadir Ida-Outanane, Greater Casablanca, Youssoufia, and Tinghir.
The National Center for Scientific and Technical Research, based in Rabat, reported that the earthquake had a magnitude of 7 on the Richter scale, with its epicenter located in the region of Al Haouz, southwest of the city of Marrakech, a major tourist destination.
The majority of the victims are in provinces south of Marrakech, comprising small towns and scattered villages in the heart of the High Atlas Mountains.
Most of these villages are difficult to access, and the majority of buildings in these areas do not adhere to earthquake-resistant standards, as explained by experts in statements to local media.
