The Portuguese who are in Morocco, where a major earthquake occurred on Friday evening, and with whom the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MNE) has contacted, are “doing well”, according to a note from the diplomacy itself.
“All Portuguese people contacted so far are doing well and have reported no health problems or substantial material damage,” the ministry assured the media in a note.
Portuguese diplomacy expresses “total solidarity with the Moroccan authorities and people” and guarantees that it will “permanently” monitor the situation and maintain contact “with Portuguese citizens in the country, especially in the seismic epicenter.””.
The ministry is collecting “all necessary information, especially about Portuguese citizens in the area”, but emphasizes that “communication on Moroccan territory is subject to conditions”.
The toll from the earthquake that struck Morocco on Friday evening has risen to 820 dead and 672 injured, including 250 seriously injured, according to the Moroccan Ministry of the Interior.
The province with the most registered victims is Al Haouz, south of Marrakesh and close to the epicenter, with 394 deaths, according to the balance up to 10 a.m. local time (same time in Lisbon), cited by the Spanish agency EFE.
This is followed by Taroudant (271 deaths), Chichaoua (91), Ouarzazate (31), Marrakesh (13), Azilal (11), Agadir (5), Casablanca (3) and Al Youssufia (1).
According to the National Institute of Geophysics of Morocco, the earthquake reached a magnitude of 7.0 on the Richter scale and occurred in the Marrakesh region (north) at 11:11 PM, at a depth of eight kilometers.
The epicenter was in the town of Ighil, about 80 kilometers southwest of Marrakesh.
The strong earthquake was felt in Portugal and Spain.
Source: DN
