King of Morocco Declares 3 Days of National Mourning After Deadly Earthquake
A powerful magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck MoroccoInternationalIndiaAfricaMOSCOW (Sputnik) — King of Morocco Mohammed VI on Saturday declared three days of national mourning following a devastating earthquake that killed over 1,300 people and left more than 1,800 injured in the North African nation, media reports citing the Kingdom’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.Earlier in the day, the king chaired a meeting in the royal palace in Rabat in connection with the disaster and instructed officials to take measures to address the situation.During the mourning period, the national flag will be flown at half-staff on all public buildings throughout the country, the report said. The Moroccan king ordered the provision of assistance to all those left homeless and the immediate establishment of an inter-ministerial committee tasked with preparing a program for reconstruction of destroyed homes in the earthquake-hit areas, Hespress said. He also reportedly called for intensifying search and rescue efforts. Late Friday, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit Morocco 77 kilometers (48 miles) southwest of the city of Marrakesh. Latest reports indicate that the death toll from the disaster has reached over 1,300 people, while 1,800 others have been injured.