Morocco earthquake survivors seek aid as death toll surges past 2,100

• Search for earthquake survivors continues for the third day.
• Relief workers battle worst-affected villages for rescue efforts.
• Morocco’s cultural heritage sites suffer damage.

The deadliest earthquake to strike Morocco in more than 60 years left survivors scrambling to find food, water, and shelter on Sunday as the search for the missing victims continued. 

The search for the missing victims is underway in isolated settlements and the death toll which rose to more than 2,100, is feared to increase further even after the third day. 

After the catastrophic 6.8 magnitude earthquake, that collapsed settlements following an upward explosion that struck late on Friday, many people were spending a third night outside.

Reaching the worst-affected villages in the High Atlas, a rough mountain terrain where populations are sometimes inaccessible and where many homes collapsed, is a difficulty for relief personnel, Reuters reported.

As the death toll climbed to 2,122 with 2,421 people injured, aid is being dispatched to to the affected residents of Morocco after the country said that it may accept relief offers from other countries and will work to coordinate them if needed.

Countries including Turkey, Kuwait, Oman, US, Spain, UK and many more have sent aid to the country during such difficult times.

The deadly earthquake did not spare the iconic cultural heritage sites of the country as Moroccan media announced the collapse of a major mosque from the 12th century.

Additionally, a portion of Marrakech’s Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was also destroyed by the earthquake.

Residents of Moulay Brahim, a community 40 kilometres (25 miles) south of Marrakech, recalled pulling the deceased out of the debris with their own hands.

The aftermath of the earthquake displayed a sorrowful site as, on a hillside overlooking the village, residents buried a 45-year-old woman who had died along with her 18-year-old son, while a woman sobbed loudly as the body was lowered into the grave.

Meanwhile, Hussein Adnaie, who was retrieving possessions from his damaged home, said he believed people were still buried in the rubble nearby.