The fatal earthquake that shook Morocco on Friday pummeled the country's ancient city of Marrakesh, demolishing homes and roads as well as infrastructure, and left many people homeless in its wake.

According to the Moroccan official television, the majority of the earthquake victims came from inhospitable, hilly areas close to the epicenter.

Because of landslides and rockfalls, most of the hilly region is inaccessible, and damaged roads made it even more difficult to conduct rescue operations.

China will continue providing assistance to Morocco based on its needs, in order to help the country cope with the earthquake disaster, China's Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

The Red Cross Society of China declared on Saturday that it will send the Moroccan Red Crescent  $200,000 in cash as immediate humanitarian assistance for its rescue operations, and that it would keep up with the country's relief requirements.

"When the earthquake struck, the medical team admitted many pregnant women and successfully delivered babies," Ma Nan, a leader of the Chinese medical support team said. 

The Chinese medical team sent to Morocco in the wake of the earthquake bravely performed numerous cesarean sections at a hospital in the city of Ben Guerir in the center of Morocco, successfully bringing new life into the world.

With local medical conditions significantly disrupted by the earthquake, Chinese medical staff exhibited unflinching loyalty to their jobs, promising to fulfill their duties and provide the best medical care possible to those afflicted.

Algeria has shown willingness to assist Morocco, stating it will open its airspace to flights carrying humanitarian aid, according to a state-owned news agency, quoting a presidential statement.

Tunisia confirmed on Saturday that a rescue team has gone for Morocco to assist with search and rescue efforts, according to the official TAP news agency. During its search activities, the crew of more than 50 professional rescue specialists will collaborate with local Moroccan rescue authorities.

"In terms of search and rescue, the first 72 hours are important. They call it the 'golden period' because if you're going to get under rubble, that's the time to do it and sometimes we see miracles," said Joe English, a UNICEF emergency communications specialist.

The death toll from the magnitude-6.8 earthquake that struck Morocco on Friday has risen to 2,497, said the interior ministry.

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