Morocco earthquake updates: Over 2,900 killed in rare, powerful quake

The quake struck Morocco’s High Atlas mountain range near Marrakech.

ByRiley Hoffman, Jon Haworth, Nadine El-Bawab, Meredith Deliso, and Emily Shapiro
Last Updated: September 13, 2023, 4:51 PM EDT

The death toll has continued to climb in the wake of the rare and powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Morocco Friday night.

More than 2,900 people are confirmed dead.

The quake, Morocco's strongest in more than a century, hit the country's High Atlas mountain range near Marrakech.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Sep 13, 2023, 4:50 PM EDT

Death toll reaches 2,946

The death toll in Morocco has reached at least 2,946.

Rescuers have been digging in remote areas on Wednesday looking for survivors.

Emergency workers carry a dead body, in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake, in Amizmiz, Morocco, Sept. 10, 2023.
Nacho Doce/Reuters

Sep 13, 2023, 10:49 AM EDT

USAID makes up to $1M available for Morocco

Samantha Power, administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, said Wednesday the agency would make up to $1 million available in initial humanitarian aid for Morocco's recovery efforts.

Residents gather belongings after their house was rendered uninhabitable by a devastating earthquake in the village mountain of Imi Oughlad, on the Imlil-Asni road in Al-Haouz province of central Morocco's High Atlas range, Sept. 12, 2023.
Philippe Lopez/AFP via Getty Images

A man prays next to the rubble of an earthquake destroyed house in Imi N'Tala village near Amizmiz, Morocco on Sept. 12, 2023.
Bulent Kilic/AFP via Getty Images

"This funding will help organizations on the ground provide emergency food assistance, health services, shelter, and mental health and psychosocial resources to assist the Moroccan-led response," Power said in a statement. "The United States is also sharing specialized technical expertise directly with the Moroccan government to bolster its ongoing emergency response."

"We stand ready to provide further support if requested by the Moroccan government," Power added.

Children play next to a camp for earthquake survivors in Asni, Morocco on Sept. 13, 2023.
Nacho Doce/Reuters

-ABC News' Shannon Crawford

Sep 12, 2023, 8:42 AM EDT

Death toll rises to 2,901

The death toll from the devastating earthquake has increased to 2,901.

Another 5,530 people are injured.

People watch as firefighters work on the rubble in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake in Tallat n'Yakoub, Morocco, Sept. 12, 2023.
Nacho Doce/Reuters

Workers stand in the rubble in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake in Talat N'Yaaqoub, in Morocco, Sept. 12, 2023.
Hannah Mckay/Reuters

Sep 11, 2023, 3:40 PM EDT

Moroccan government still not accepting US support

State Department spokesperson Matt Miller confirmed Monday that the Moroccan government has still not taken the United States up on its offer to provide support in its earthquake relief despite direct outreach from Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Blinken spoke with Morocco's foreign minister this weekend and expressed his condolences, Miller said.

"They also discussed how the United States can best support the government of Morocco's leadership of the humanitarian response to the tragedy, and the secretary and the foreign minister pledged to stay in close contact as the response efforts continue," Miller said.

Asked whether the U.S. was providing any direct aid at the moment, Miller said, "We have made the offer for assistance and are in close consultations with the Moroccan government about how we can best provide that assistance."

-ABC News' Shannon Crawford

Related Topics