ISLAMABAD – Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar has expressed grief and sorrow over the damages caused by the powerful earthquake in Morocco.
The premier extended his condolences to the government and people of Morocco over the loss of precious lives. He expressed his sympathies with the affected families.
He said in this hour of difficulty, Pakistan stands with the brave people and government of Morocco and will provide them all possible support.
A 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit Morocco’s High Atlas mountains Friday night, leaving at least 300 people dead and dozens injured.
The Interior Ministry of Morocco in a statement aid that 153 people were injured with some of them are in critical condition at different hospitals.
Officials said that most of the deaths occurred in mountain areas that were hard to reach, adding that several buildings and houses were damaged in the powerful earthquake.
The quake had hit the provinces of Al Haouz, Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Azilal, Chichaoua and Taroudant, the officials said.
Morocco’s geophysical centre said the earthquake hit the Ighil area of the High Atlas with a magnitude of 7.2. The US Geological Survey said the magnitude was 6.8 and it occurred at depth of 18.5 km (11.5 miles).
Reports said most damages were reported in Marrakech, the nearest big city to the epicentre, where some buildings had collapsed.
Pan-Arab al-Arabiya news channel reported that five people were killed from one family, citing unnamed local sources.
The earthquake is Morocco’s deadliest since a 2004 tremor near Al Hoceima in the northern Rif mountains which killed over 600 people.
