President Bola Tinubu has conveyed his heartfelt condolences to King Mohammed VI of Morocco following the devastating earthquake that struck the country on Friday, resulting in the tragic loss of over 800 lives.
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu expressed Nigeria’s unwavering solidarity with Morocco during this challenging time. He assured King Mohammed VI that Nigeria would stand by Morocco as it embarks on the journey to recovery, rebuilding, and emerging stronger from this unfortunate event.
The earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.8, struck the village of Amizmiz, approximately 64 kilometers south of Marrakesh. It caused significant damage, including the destruction of buildings in the ancient city and a UNESCO world heritage site. Moroccan state media reported that at least 820 people lost their lives, with 672 individuals injured, mainly in hard-to-reach mountainous areas.
President Tinubu extended his condolences to the families who lost loved ones and those affected by the tragedy. He also wished a swift and full recovery to those who were injured. The President conveyed that the thoughts and prayers of Nigerians were with the government and people of Morocco during this difficult and tragic moment.
In response to the disaster, King Mohammed VI ordered the mobilization of the armed forces, including air and land assets, specialized search and rescue teams, and a surgical field hospital. This measure highlights the scale of the catastrophe.
Despite offers of assistance from world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine, Narendra Modi of India, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the Moroccan government has not yet formally requested external aid, which is necessary for the deployment of rescue teams.
This earthquake is described as Morocco’s deadliest since 2004, when a tremor in the northern Rif mountains claimed the lives of over 600 people.