Photonews Logo Photonews logo
  • Home
  • Pakistan
    • Punjab
    • Sindh
    • Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
    • Azad Jammu Kashmir
    • Balochistan
    • Gilgit – Baltistan
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Videos
    IShowSpeed Daniel La Belle race
    Videos

    IShowSpeed Beats Daniel La Belle in 40-Meter Race, Hits 41M Subscribers

    June 24, 2025 2 Min Read
    Cardi B new single Outside
    Videos

    Cardi B’s ‘Outside’ Single Sparks Buzz Over Offset and Stefon Diggs

    June 20, 2025 2 Min Read
    Squid Game Season 3
    Videos

    Squid Game Season 3: Final Trailer Unveils Epic Plot

    June 14, 2025 2 Min Read
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • Offbeat
  • Blog
  • Contact
Reading: Morocco Earthquake Death Toll Exceeds 2,000
PhotoNews Pakistan PhotoNews Pakistan
Font ResizerAa
Search
  • Home
  • Pakistan
    • Punjab
    • Sindh
    • Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
    • Balochistan
    • Azad Jammu Kashmir
    • Gilgit – Baltistan
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Videos
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • Offbeat
  • Blog
  • Contact
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2022 Photonews. All Rights Reserved.
Morocco Earthquake
PhotoNews Pakistan > Top News > Morocco Earthquake Death Toll Exceeds 2,000
Top NewsWorld

Morocco Earthquake Death Toll Exceeds 2,000

Web Desk
By Web Desk Published September 10, 2023 4 Min Read
Share
A Moroccan woman standing with her damaged house . Photo: @mhdksafa (Twitter)
SHARE

In the wake of the devastating magnitude of the 6.8 earthquake that rattled Morocco on Friday, there has been rising concern regarding potential aftershocks in the region. The catastrophic event impacted areas predominantly southwest of Marrakech city, in the High Atlas mountains. The calamity resulted in significant damage to historical structures in the closest city to the epicentre and has, to date, claimed over 2,012 lives and left 2,059 individuals injured, with over 1,000 of them in critical condition.

Philippe Vernant, a renowned specialist at the University of Montpellier, engaged in a detailed conversation with AFP, highlighting the seismic history of Morocco and the underlying factors contributing to this recent tragedy. Notably, he emphasized that Morocco’s geographical positioning makes it susceptible to such seismic events, drawing parallels with past occurrences, including the devastating Agadir earthquake in 1960 and the Al Hoecima earthquake in 2004.

Geological Underpinnings and Comparisons

Vernant further delved into the geographical nuances that contribute to the seismic activities in the region. He pointed out that the recent quake’s epicentre is not situated in Morocco’s most active seismic zone. However, the High Atlas mountains’ geological composition and history are closely linked to such occurrences, which have, over centuries, contributed to the formation and elevation of this mountain range.

To explain the dynamics at play, Vernant drew a comparison with Turkey’s seismic activity, highlighting the differences in tectonic movements between the two regions. While Turkey experiences horizontal movements due to its westward shift towards Greece, Morocco witnesses a more converging interaction between the African and Eurasian or Iberian plates, resulting in overlapping fault lines. Despite the varied dynamics, both regions grapple with the complex realities of plate boundaries and the subsequent seismic activities.

The Recent Morocco Earthquake

To fully grasp the gravity of the recent earthquake in Morocco, Vernant discussed the potential factors that could have contributed to its violent nature. He noted that the estimated magnitude of around 6.8 to 6.9 denotes a substantial seismic event characterized by significant displacement along the fault line, spanning several kilometres and occurring within a few seconds. This rapid movement, unfortunately, led to substantial shaking in the affected regions.

Furthermore, Vernant highlighted the significant role of the earthquake’s depth in determining its impact. Initial estimations suggested a depth of around 25-30 kilometres, but newer data suggests a shallower depth, closer to 10 kilometres. This proximity to the surface amplifies the rupture effects, akin to the 2019 earthquake in France’s Teil region, which, despite its smaller magnitude, caused substantial damage due to its minimal depth.

Aftershocks and the Challenge of Prediction

Turning his attention to the expected aftermath, Vernant warned of inevitable aftershocks. Even if these aftershocks register a lower magnitude, they can bring down structures weakened by the primary quake. Drawing from the patterns observed in Turkey, where one seismic event triggered another, Vernant cautioned about the possibility of a cascading effect, sometimes resulting in an even stronger aftershock following the initial earthquake.

On predicting such events, Vernant admitted to the inherent challenges and uncertainties. While efforts are being made to estimate recurrence periods based on the varying magnitudes of past earthquakes, predicting the exact behaviour of seismic activities remains an elusive goal. This erratic nature of earthquakes, characterized by sporadic high-magnitude events followed by long periods of seismic silence, continues to pose challenges in developing effective prediction mechanisms.

TAGGED:Featured
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn Email Copy Link Print
Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement

HBL Saving Made Easy
HBL Saving Made Easy

Recent Posts

Khamenei Ashura

Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei Makes First Public Appearance Post-War at Ashura 2025

Sindh Building Control Authority

Another Lyari Building Declared Unsafe, Evacuation Ordered

NDMA flood warning

Pakistan Issues Flood Warning for Guddu, Sukkur Barrages

Post Archives

More Popular from Photonews

Alli Tareen
Sports

Ali Tareen Slams PCB Over PSL 2025’s Declining Fan Interest

3 Min Read
Justice Shah JCP Seniority
Pakistan

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah Questions JCP’s Judge Seniority Process

2 Min Read
Saif Ali Khan Loses ₹15,000 Crore Pataudi Properties
Entertainment

Saif Ali Khan Loses ₹15,000 Crore Pataudi Properties

3 Min Read
Pakistan

Muharram 9 Processions Held Across Pakistan Under Tight Security

On July 5, 2025, Pakistan observed Muharram 9 with processions in major cities, including Karachi, Lahore,…

July 5, 2025
Entertainment

Jurassic World Rebirth Roars to $312.5M Global Box Office

On July 4, 2025, Jurassic World Rebirth, starring Scarlett Johansson, debuted on the global box office…

July 6, 2025
Entertainment

Squid Game Season 3: Why VIP Scenes Were Cut, Editor Explains

On July 3, 2025, Squid Game editor Nam Na-young revealed why numerous VIP scenes were cut…

July 3, 2025
Sports

LeBron James Faces Fan Backlash Over Orange Purse in France

NBA legend LeBron James sparked controversy on social media when fans spotted him carrying a large…

July 1, 2025
PhotoNews Pakistan

Always Stay Up to Date

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

Categories

  • World
  • Pakistan
  • Punjab
  • Sindh
  • Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
  • Balochistan
  • Azad Jammu Kashmir

 

  • Top News
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Videos
  • Tech
  • Offbeat
  • Blog

© 2024 Phototnews
All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?