No Egyptian nationals among victims of Morocco’s earthquake: Foreign Ministry

CAIRO – 9 September 2023: No Egyptian nationals have been reported among victims of the devastating earthquake that struck some Moroccan cities and provinces yesterday evening, Friday, said the Ministry Spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid in a statement on Saturday.

The Egyptian Embassy in Rabat formed a crisis cell to communicate with Egyptian expats in various Moroccan cities to check on their conditions.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with the Egyptian Embassy in Rabat, continues to monitor the situation around the clock, and any developments in this regard will be announced, Abu Zeid added.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman renewed condolences to the people in the Kingdom of Morocco for this painful and horrific incident.

A 6.8-magnitude quake struck in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountain range shortly after 11 p.m. local time at the relatively shallow depth of 18.5 kilometers (11.4 miles), USGS said, with the epicenter located about 72 kilometers (44.7 miles) southwest of Marrakech, a city of some 840,000 people and a popular tourist destination, according to CNN.

The number of victims of the devastating earthquake has risen to more than 1,000 dead and at least 1,200 injured.