Morocco's ancient city of Marrakech assesses quake damage

MARRAKECH, Morocco (Reuters) – Morocco’s deadly earthquake hit near Marrakech, a city beloved of Moroccans and foreign tourists for its medieval mosques, palaces and seminaries richly adorned with vivid mosaic tiling amid a labyrinth of rose-hued alleyways.

The extent of damage to Marrakech, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was not yet clear on Saturday morning though most of the main historic sites in the old city appeared largely unscathed.

However footage shared online, but not verified by Reuters, showed cracks and fallen rubble at a small section of the medieval walls and a collapsed minaret.

The shaking was severe enough to force most residents to leave their homes when it occurred just after 11 p.m. (2200 GMT), causing many to sleep outside, fearing aftershocks. This is particularly concerning in a city where many old houses are constructed from stone and mud brick.

Karim El Baridi, outside the city hospital, revealed that his uncle sustained broken ribs after jumping out of an upper story in fear that his building would collapse. El Baridi stated, “He was scared and jumped.”

While at the Jemaa al-Fna Square, the centerpiece of Marrakech, overlooking the medieval Kotoubia mosque and often frequented by street performers, market stalls, and snake charmers, the vital heritage sites remained intact.

The towering minaret of the Kotoubia, of great significance and therefore preserved with utmost care, appeared undamaged. However, the minaret of a lesser-known mosque in another part of the square had collapsed, causing damage to nearby cars.

Marrakech resident Miloud Skrout, standing near a pile of rubble in another area of the old city, stated that the damage had obstructed alleyways, making it difficult to assist trapped residents. He said, “Everything is God’s will but we sustained great harm… there is no way to enter houses and my parents are ill at home.”

Although some houses in the tightly packed old city collapsed, residents informed Reuters that these structures were mostly uninhabited.

Locals were using their hands to clear the rubble, according to one resident.

Winston Churchill, the leader of Britain during World War Two, enjoyed painting scenes from Marrakech and reportedly referred to it as the best place on earth to spend an afternoon.

The World Bank and IMF are scheduled to hold their annual meetings in the city from Oct. 9, and it remains uncertain whether the earthquake will impact these plans.

While the high tourist season has concluded, many foreigners are still present in the city, drawn by the architectural wonders that have attracted visitors for centuries.

At the hospital, where the most severely injured individuals arrived from the mountains to the south, visible beyond the city walls, some tourists joined the locals in donating blood.

Mahmoud Abghach, the head of a blood donation center with around 200 people in line, expressed the need for every drop of blood. He added, “We are glad to see foreign tourists join to give blood following this painful event.”

(Reporting by Ahmed Eljechtimi and Abdulhak Balhaki; Writing by Angus McDowall; Editing by Frances Kerry)