Search and rescue operations continue for people trapped under rubble after the deadly earthquake in Talat N'Yaaqoub town of Marrakesh, Morocco, September 11, 2023. /CFP
Moroccan rescuers supported by foreign teams are racing against time to dig out any survivors from the rubble of mountain villages after a deadly earthquake.
The magnitude-7.0 quake struck the Atlas mountains late Friday southwest of the tourist center of Marrakesh. It killed at least 2,862 people and injured over 2,500 others, according to the latest update from the country's Interior Ministry.
The densely populated and mountainous villages at the epicenter and fickle weather make the rescue work all the more challenging.
"It's extremely difficult to get there," said CGTN correspondent Ken Browne, who heard people including police and government officials talking about how they are clearing the roads.
Noting helicopters are used to deliver aids to disaster-hit areas, Browne said in the villages the Moroccan army has reached, the army helped build tents where they can attend to the injured and they are also trying to bring water and basic necessity like food to people in need.
In the disaster-stricken community of Talat Nyacoub, 12 ambulances and several dozen 4X4s from the army and police were deployed while around 100 Moroccan rescuers were searching for signs of life in the collapsed buildings.
Rescue workers are trying to save lives after the deadly earthquake at a village in Atlas mountains, Marrakesh, Morocco, September 11, 2023. /CFP
In a residential neighborhood in Amizmiz, police and local residents are digging through the rubble with shovels and even with their bare hands as machines can not pass the narrow alleys.
Albert Vasquez, a communications officer for a team of Spanish firefighters, said time was short, warning that "it's very difficult to find people alive after three days" but "hope is still there."
The rescuers are assisted by four dogs and micro-cameras that can be fed into the rubble in an effort to detect signs of life.
Bottled water donated by the local branch of a Chinese company arrives in disaster-hit area of Morocco. /CGTN
Humanitarian aids continue
Many countries and international organizations are providing humanitarian aids to help Moroccans survive the disaster. Among them, overseas Chinese in Morocco rushed to extend cash and in-kind assistance to disaster areas.
The Industry and Commerce Federation of Chinese Nationals in Morocco has made a donation call to the local Chinese community, said its President Lin Weiqiang on Monday, adding that once collected, the aid would be delivered by the Chinese embassy to the Moroccan side.
The Moroccan-Chinese Chamber of Commerce is also allocating emergency supplies to the disaster area.
Nasser Bouchiba, president of the Africa-China Cooperation Association for Development, thanked overseas Chinese across the kingdom for extending help. "It was heartwarming to see Chinese friends trying their best to send donations to the disaster-stricken areas."
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has allocated 1 million Swiss francs ($1.12 million) from its emergency disaster fund to assist the Moroccan Red Crescent (MRC) in its on-site efforts.
On September 9, one day after the quake, the Red Cross Society of China announced that it would provide the MRC with $200,000 in cash as emergency humanitarian assistance for its rescue and disaster relief work.
(With input from agencies)