Skip to content

Morocco earthquake, 2023

Introduction

On Friday 8 September, Morocco was struck by a powerful magnitude 6.8 earthquake. The epicentre was in the High Atlas Mountain range, about 72 km (44 miles) southwest of Marrakech, in the province of Al Haouz.

(Photo source: Moroccan Red Cross)

The British Red Cross (15/9/23) estimates that over 2,800 have been killed and 5,600 people have been injured. An estimated 300,000 people have been affected by the earthquake.

Whilst Marrakech suffered some damage from the earthquake, the greatest impacts were felt in the many remote mountain villages in Al Haouz province. Some villages close to the epicentre have been completely destroyed, including Tafeghaghte, 37 miles from Marrakech.

Click the icon below to download a summary overview of the earthquake written one week after the earthquake struck Morocco. The document considers the causes and impacts of the earthquake together with the early responses.

Contribute

Our aim is to promote geography and geographical education in the South West of England. Geography SW is a collaborative project driven by a group of enthusiastic geographers who have volunteered their time to create a wide-ranging and dynamic resource to support the wider geographical community.

Scroll To Top