At least 632 people have been killed following a 6.8 magnitude earthquake in Morocco, officials have said. Many of the fatalities are said to be in hard-to-reach areas south of Marrakech.
Local journalist Rida Fakhar was in Marrakech when the earthquake struck on Friday night.
He said he was constantly hearing the sound of ambulance sirens as medical workers made their way between hospitals and different parts of Marrakech and the mountains. The location is within the African tectonic plate, around 350 miles south of the boundary with the Eurasia plate that Europe and much of Asia sit on.The USGS say earthquakes on what's called a reverse fault usually involve a slip over an area of around 20 miles long by 12 miles wide.In 2004 a magnitude 6.3 quake in Al Hoceima, on the Mediterranean coast, caused 631 deaths, with severe damage to the surrounding area.
That's because they are so hard to reach, meaning aid from police, firefighters, and the army will be slower to arrive.Watch: Aftermath of deadly earthquake Officials are working to clear roads so ambulances and aid can reach those affected - but large distances between mountain villages mean it will take time to learn the full extent of the damage.At least 632 people have been killed following a 6.8 magnitude earthquake in Morocco, officials have said.The earthquake struck late on Friday - damaging buildings in major cities and sending panicked people pouring into the streets.
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