The quake hit late Friday night, toppling buildings in mountainous villages and ancient cities not built to withstand such force. The hardest hit areas were near the town of Ighil in Al Haouz Province, roughly 70 kilometers (44 miles) south of Marrakech.
People were caught by surprise as the quake struck without warning. Many people were killed as their homes collapsed. Others were injured or trapped under rubble.
The rescue effort is ongoing, but it is slow going. The roads to the affected areas are impassable, and there is a lack of food and water.
The Moroccan government has declared three days of national mourning. The king has visited the affected areas and promised to provide assistance to the victims.
World leaders have offered their condolences and assistance. Turkey, which lost tens of thousands of people in a massive earthquake earlier this year, has offered to send rescue crews. France and Germany, with large populations of people of Moroccan origin, have also offered to help.
The earthquake is a reminder of the seismic activity that occurs in this region of the world. Morocco is located in a seismically active area, and it is prone to earthquakes. The government has taken steps to mitigate the risk of earthquakes, but more needs to be done to protect the population from these natural disasters.
The people of Morocco are resilient, and they will rebuild from this tragedy. But the earthquake will leave a lasting scar on the country.
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