The number of victims of the devastating earthquake in Morocco, which occurred on September 8, exceeded 2,000 people, writes CNN with reference to the latest assessment of local authorities.
According to the latest data from the countryʼs Ministry of Internal Affairs, at least 2,012 people died and another 2,059 were injured, 1,404 critically.
"The problem is that where destructive earthquakes are rare, the buildings simply arenʼt strong enough to withstand strong tremors, so many of them collapse, resulting in a large number of casualties," explained the death toll, professor emeritus of University College London Bill McGwire.
Earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.8 occurred on Friday evening in the area of the city of Marrakesh — the fourth largest in Morocco, where about a million people live. According to the US Geological Survey, it was the largest earthquake in Morocco since 1960, when at least 12,000 people died.
The Moroccan government announced three days of national mourning for the dead.