Tragedy Strikes
On Friday night, a powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Morocco, causing nearly 300 fatalities and injuring 153 individuals, as reported by the country’s interior ministry on Saturday.
The earthquake’s impact was significant, with casualties reported in multiple provinces and municipalities, including al-Haouz, Marrakesh, Ouarzazate, Azilal, Chichaoua, and Taroudant.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) emphasized the vulnerability of structures in the region to earthquake shaking due to the seismic event’s magnitude.
Additionally, the earthquake led to power cuts in Marrakesh, causing disruptions in internet connectivity, as reported by the global internet monitoring organization Netblocks.
Morocco is no stranger to seismic activity, particularly in its northern region, owing to its location between the African and Eurasian tectonic plates.
The USGS pinpointed the earthquake’s epicenter at a relatively shallow depth of 18.5 kilometers (11.5 miles), occurring approximately 72 kilometers (44 miles) southwest of Marrakesh and 56 kilometers west of the Atlas Mountain town of Oukaimeden.
The earthquake struck just after 11 PM local time (2200 GMT).
In summary, tragedy strikes as formidable earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 wreaked havoc in Morocco on Friday night, resulting in significant casualties and highlighting the seismic vulnerability of the affected regions.
jI Councilor Gunned Down In Karachi’s Surjani Area
A local councilor from the Jamaat-i-Islami party was shot dead, and two party workers were injured while trying to mediate a dispute concerning illegal power connections in Karachi’s Surjani Town area.
The incident occurred late at night, and police suspect the involvement of a “kunda (illegal electric connection) mafia” in the murder, ruling out any political motivation. Authorities identified the victim as Mohammed Habib, while Syed Adnan and Muzamil sustained injuries.
