Morocco Earthquake: Residents rushed outside after the earthquake struck on Friday at 22:11 GMT (23:11 local time).
“Violent” vibrations were felt across the country, from Casablanca to Marrakech, where many buildings had been destroyed or severely damaged.
Three days of national mourning have been proclaimed by the nation’s royal palace.
The military will dispatch rescue teams to provide tents, blankets, food supplies, and clean water to the affected towns, it was also mentioned in the report.
Many of the victims are reportedly located in isolated highland areas.
The High Atlas Mountains, 71 kilometers (44 miles) south-west of Marrakech, were the location of the epicenter.
The number of injured patients in Marrakesh hospitals has increased, and the locals have been urged to give blood.
The earthquake, according to Morocco’s interior ministry, claimed lives in the provinces and towns of al-Haouz, Marrakesh, Ouarzazate, Azilal, Chichaoua, and Taroudant. It also caused more than 1,200 injuries.
In Marrakesh, some structures have collapsed, and the Medina, a Unesco World Heritage site, has suffered particularly bad damage.
The famous Jemaa el Fnaa mosque partially fell, and dust could be seen encircling the minaret of the historic Kutubiyya mosque, a popular tourist destination close to the main square of the old city.
Moments after last night’s earthquake rattled Marrakesh, resident Rashid Ben Arabi hurried to his car.
He hurriedly traveled to the village of Amizmiz, which is 56 kilometers (35 miles) from Marrakesh, with his wife and 1-year-old daughter to make sure his parents were still alive.
He claimed that everyone fled the city in total darkness and blackout as the roads were jam-packed with people.
“I saw people in a hysterical state, crying and screaming, and everyone was looking for their families,” he added. “As soon as I entered my town, I saw people in my town.”
“I saw a man lying on the ground by the wreckage of his house. He could hear the screams of his two children trapped under the collapsed structure, but he couldn’t do anything to help them because rescue crews hadn’t yet arrived at the scene.”
Rashid ultimately located his parents, who were sleeping in the street and were unharmed but wrapped in blankets.
The Moroccan authorities had advised everyone not to return to their houses in the event of strong aftershocks, so they were among the numerous individuals who spent the night outside.
19 minutes after the earthquake, a 4.9-magnitude aftershock was registered.