In a statement from his spokesman, Secretary-General António Guterres stressed that the UN stands ready to assist the government in any way possible to help those affected.
According to the UN humanitarian center Reliefweb, the powerful earthquake struck shortly after 10 p.m. local time, measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale at a depth of 18.5 km, with the epicenter located in the High Atlas Mountains, approximately 71 km southwest of the historic city of Marrakech.
According to media reports, several houses in the city of 840,000 people collapsed and other buildings suffered structural damage. The epicentral zone is not densely populated.
![The earthquake with an epicenter in the High Atlas Mountains caused destruction in the historic city of Marrakech, Morocco. The earthquake with an epicenter in the High Atlas Mountains caused destruction in the historic city of Marrakech, Morocco.](https://global.unitednations.entermediadb.net/assets/mediadb/services/module/asset/downloads/preset/Libraries/Production%20Library/09-09-2023%20Morocco%20Earthquake%203.jpg/image560x340cropped.jpg)
“The Secretary General was deeply saddened to hear of the earthquake that struck Morocco today and claimed many lives,” the statement said.
‘The UN is by your side’
Mr. Guterres expressed his sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
In a tweet, UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis expressed his sincere condolences and condolences, calling on the international community to “stand together in support of Morocco in this time of sorrow.”
Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary General, also responded on social media platform X, saying her “prayers and thoughts” are with the people of Morocco.
“The UN stands with you in our quest for recovery,” she wrote.
‘Search and Rescue’
Nathalie Fustier, UN Resident Coordinator in the country, spoke to UN News and reiterated that UN teams are ready to provide any support needed.
She told us that information was still scarce and difficult to verify as the epicenter of the earthquake was in a remote mountainous area that is difficult to access.
Based on what is known so far, she said the death toll is likely to exceed 1,000, with hundreds injured.
Asked to assess the needs of the people in the affected areas, Ms Fustier said: “I think at the moment it is really search and rescue and maybe blood and medical aid for people who are still in the areas without good medical support, but perhaps also food.”
She assured that the UN, both at the national level and globally, stands ready to join forces with the Government of Morocco in providing a rapid response to the disaster. “We have seen a huge mobilization taking place and again, we stand ready to help.”
![The World Food Program published a graph showing the area possibly affected by the earthquake near Marrakech, Morocco. The World Food Program published a graph showing the area possibly affected by the earthquake near Marrakech, Morocco.](https://global.unitednations.entermediadb.net/assets/mediadb/services/module/asset/downloads/preset/Libraries/Production%20Library/09-09-2023%20Morocco-EQ-Infographic.JPG/image1024x768.jpg)
WFP
The World Food Program published a graph showing the area possibly affected by the earthquake near Marrakech, Morocco.