Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1507380
3 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 10 SEPTEMBER 2023 NEWS Over 1,000 dead as Morocco hit by 6.8 magnitude earthquake OVER 1,000 people are reported to have died in Friday's 6.8 mag- nitude earthquake which struck the Atlas Mountains, just outside of Marrakech in Morocco. According to the Moroccan state TV a further 1,000 people have been injured, 700 of whom are in critical condition. This was the country's worst earthquake in six decades, fol- lowing the one in 2004 that killed around 630 people and the one in 1960 that left at least 12,000 dead. Historic buildings in Marrakech were damaged and thousands had to flee their homes after au- thorities warned of aftershocks. Marrakech is home to around 840,000 people and a popular tourist destination. It's old city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site founded in the 11th century and which attracts tour- ists with its open-air markets and spiderweb-like passageways. Despite breaking ties with Mo- rocco two years ago, its neigh- bour Algeria, re-opened its airspace for humanitarian and medical flights. Street camera footage in Mar- rakech showed the moment the earth began to shake, as men sud- denly looked around and jumped up, and others ran for shelter into an alleyway and then fled as dust and debris tumbled around them. The Maltese Foreign Affairs Ministry said that all the Maltese Nationals it made contact with in Marrakesh are safe and unin- jured. The Ministry confirmed that it was contacted by 10 Maltese na- tionals who are in Marrakesh or near the said region in the King- dom of Morocco. None of them have reported suffering any inju- ry. The Foreign Ministry said that it is aware that some of them are set to return on Sunday and oth- ers are making arrangements to return on Monday. It said that the Maltese com- patriots are being assisted by the Honorary Consul of Malta in Marrakesh. The Ministry expressed its deepest condolences to the fam- ilies of the victims of the Earth- quakes that hit Morocco and said that anyone in need of help should contact 00212662795525 or 00212661944302. Among the Maltese that are currently in Morocco are former minister Edward Zammit Lewis and his family. In comments to MaltaToday, Zammit Lewis confirmed that they are safe. He said that up until Wednes- day they were staying in the old Medina area in Marrakesh, but they are now in the northern re- gion of Tangiers. Zammit Lewis said that many old historical buildings and ri- ads (historical boutique hotels) in Medina were damaged by the earthquake. He, however, described the situ- ation in Tangiers as calm and said that it is expected that tourists will travel to the north to leave the country from Tangier. The former Minister also said that he knows a family that is staying in Marrakesh, but they confirmed to him that they are safe. He also said that their guide contacted his family, who live outside the old village, and they are also safe. Former Malta national coach Tom Saintfiet, who currently manages the Gambian national team told BBC that he feared a plane had crashed into his hotel. Saintfiet and his team are in Marrakesh for Sunday's Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo. Saintfiet said he had initially heard a lot of noise and thought it was someone knocking on his door. "A few seconds later I thought that a plane had crashed into the hotel because we're close to the airport but a second or two lat- er, I knew it was an earthquake," Saintfiet said. "It seems it was only 30 seconds but it felt endless. It was really scary. The walls were really shak- ing and things were falling down from the ceiling and the walls. I never in my life saw a building moving like that." He said that several of his play- ers do not want to play on Sun- day, and emphasised that the focus is not currently on football but on the welfare of the players and the Moroccan people.