The death toll from the violent earthquake that hit Morocco last night continues to worsen hour by hour. At least 1037 people died and 1204 were injured, of which 721 are in serious condition .
And it is feared that the numbers could grow further, as relief efforts or communications reach the areas closest to the epicentre, in the center of the country, 16 kilometers from the Tata N'Yaaqoub village , in the municipality of Ighil , 72 kilometers from south-west of Marrakesh .
The historic city is in fact heavily damaged: witnesses tell of a nightmarish 30 seconds, with a roar that resembled that of a "bomb" explosion.
The strong earthquake measuring 7 on the Richter scale was recorded at 11.11pm on Friday 8 September. The earthquake was so strong that it was felt along the entire Atlas ridge, in Merzouga, one of the gateways to the desert, Taroudant, Essaouira and Agadir and on the other side of the mountain range in Casablanca, up to Rabat. The wave-like movement lasted about 30 seconds.
Great fear especially in the medina of Marrakech, where the most fragile parts of the walls surrounding the historic center have collapsed . Thousands poured into the streets of the new city of Marrakech and the alleys of the medina, in a state of panic. Electricity and internet connection were missing for a long time.
ITALIANS
The switchboard of the Italian embassy in Rabat is down, having received numerous calls from tourists asking to return home.
There are no Italians either among the victims or among the injured , assured the Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani: there are approximately 500 compatriots present on Moroccan territory. The ambassador in Rabat, Armando Barucco , also confirmed that he had contacted all the Italians who had been reported "both through the Crisis Unit and through the numbers we have". The ambassador then announced that a help desk of our diplomatic headquarters had been opened at Marrakesh airport, stormed by tourists fleeing after the great scare, to provide assistance and information to Italians who needed to leave.
