Morocco's Atlas Mountains are tectonic hotspot
Worldwide, many regions are afflicted with frequent earthquakes. The Atlas Mountains in Morocco are a regular site of heavy plate-tectonic activity
Julia Vergin
An earthquake measuring 6.8 on the moment magnitude scale (MMS) has shaken Morocco. With its epicenter in the Atlas Mountains, about 70 kilometers (40 miles) from Marrakech, the earthquake was also felt in neighboring Algeria and as far north as Portugal.
The Atlas Mountains span about 2,300 kilometers across Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Known as fold mountains, they were created by the collision of tectonic masses: the Eurasian Plate to the north and the African Plate to the south.
"The Atlas Mountains are on the border between the two plates and are therefore a known as earthquake zone," said Fabrice Cotton, a professor of seismology at the German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam.
How earthquakes happen
The Earth's crust is formed like a jigsaw puzzle, with different individual pieces slotting together. There are some gigantic oceanic plates and several smaller continental plates. Exactly how many small and very small tectonic plates there are is subject to scientific debate.
All of these plates are "swimming" in the molten core of the Earth. Because magma swells from the core at certain fracture points, the plates have shifted and migrated a few centimeters every year for billions of years. They move away from each other, rub against each other or push up against each other, causing the continent above them to move. Such movements are known as plate tectonics.
These tectonic shifts regularly cause plates to collide. When the resulting tension that builds up in the plate's rock become too great, they can fracture and parts break away with a jolt. Waves of pressure emanate from this epicenter and reach the Earth's surface, where they are felt as earthquakes.
Regions that fall on fault lines, where tectonic plates meet, are therefore particularly prone to earthquakes. Any quake reaching 5.0 or above on the MMS can cause visible damage to buildings, for example.
If a quake happens under an ocean, tsunamis may occur. These high-velocity, expanding waves can cause deadly flooding if they hit the mainland. It is very, very difficult to predict quakes in such regions due to constant seismic activity, Cotton said.
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake has struck Morocco, with an epicenter 75 kilometers west of Marrakech, claiming hundreds of lives. DW offers a glimpse at the difficult situation on the ground.
general.image.copyright_prefix Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty Images
Deadly quake shakes Morocco overnight
A powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck central Morocco, killing more than 820 people, according to the Interior Ministry. More than 200 people are in critical condition, state television reported. There are fears that the death toll will rise as relief efforts unfold.
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Historic city of Marrakech hit hard
The earthquake occurred shortly after 11 p.m. (2200 UTC) Friday at a depth of 18.5 kilometers (11 miles). The epicenter was situated in the High Atlas mountains, in the al-Haouz region of southwest Morocco, a popular tourist destination. The historic city of Marrakech, home to about 840,000 residents, is also located 72 kilometers from the earthquake's epicenter.
general.image.copyright_prefix Abdelhak Balhaki/Reuters
Fear of aftershocks causes panic overnight
Unverified images on social media show panicked people pouring into the streets. Concerned about potential aftershocks, many Moroccans spent the night outdoors in various cities.
Rescue operations begins
Rescuers began searching for people trapped in the debris shortly after the earthquake. Health authorities are urging Moroccans to donate blood to assist the victims.
Remote villages cut off
Reaching people in villages where older buildings may be more susceptible to collapse will be extremely challenging, several officials warned.
Roads jammed with vehicles and fallen rocks
In the mountains, rescue efforts have been hindered as roads became congested with vehicles and blocked by fallen boulders, Moroccan media report. The area is a favorite destination for mountaineers, with residents earning most of their income from tourism. Detailed official reports regarding the extent of damage and the death toll in these areas remain scarce.
UNESCO World Heritage sites damaged
Residents in Marrakech report that some buildings collapsed in the historic old city, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Marrakech’s renowned Koutoubia Mosque, constructed in the 12th century, suffered damage. Damage was also reported to the mosque’s 69-meter (228-foot) minaret, often referred to as the "roof of Marrakech," and parts of the iconic red walls encircling the old city.
Strongest earthquake in a century
It was the strongest quake to hit the nation in over a century, the head of the National Institute of Geophysics in Morocco said. In 1960, a 5.8 magnitude quake shook the port of Agadir and caused at least 12,000 deaths. A devastating earthquake near the Mediterranean coastal city of Al Hoceima in 2004 led to the loss of over 600 lives.
Rural and historical buildings vulnerable to earthquake
After the Agadir quake, Morocco changed its construction regulations; yet many older buildings across the country have not been retrofitted to withstand such temblors.
Powerful earthquakes are nearly always followed by smaller aftershocks, which occur because the tectonic plates at the epicenter continue moving until they eventually settle again. Aftershocks, too, can cause serious damage. Buildings that were damaged during the original quake may collapse, leading to more deaths, injuries and displacement.
"The only way to protect people from earthquakes is to build earthquake-proof buildings," Cotton said.
This article was originally written in German.
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