Rescuers are facing a growing race against time to dig any survivors from the rubble of devastated villages in Morocco's Atlas mountains, three days after the country's strongest-ever earthquake.
The death toll from Morocco's 6.8-magnitude quake that struck late on Friday southwest of the city of Marrakesh has risen to 2,862, the interior ministry said, as search and rescue efforts continue.
The number of people injured in the quake has risen to over 2,562.
Yesterday, the government announced it had accepted aid offers from four foreign nations, while many other countries have also said they were willing to send assistance.
Authorities have responded favourably "at this stage" to offers from Spain, Britain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates "to send search and rescue teams", the interior ministry said.
It noted the foreign teams were in contact with Moroccan authorities to coordinate efforts, and said only four offers had been accepted because "a lack of coordination could be counterproductive".
Other offers may be accepted in the future "if the needs evolve", according to the ministry.
France was willing to provide aid "the second" Morocco requested it, President Emmanuel Macron said.
A Qatari aid flight left from Al-Udeid air base outside Doha yesterday evening, an AFP journalist said.
Spain has sent 86 rescuers and eight search dogs to Morocco to "help in the search and rescue of survivors of the devastating earthquake suffered in our neighbouring country", said a defence ministry statement.
"We will send whatever is needed because everyone knows that these first hours are key, especially if there are people buried under rubble," Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles told public television.
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Villages flattened
The earthquake wiped out entire villages in the hills of the Atlas mountain range, where civilian rescuers and members of Morocco's armed forces have searched for survivors and the bodies of the dead.
Many houses in remote mountain villages were built from mud bricks.
The remote village of Tafeghaghte, 60km from Marrakesh in Al-Haouz province, was almost entirely destroyed, an AFP team reported, with very few buildings still standing.
"Everyone is gone! My heart is broken. I am inconsolable," cried Zahra Benbrik, 62, who said she had lost 18 relatives.
Authorities recorded more than 1,300 deaths in Al-Haouz province alone.
According to Moroccan public television, "more than 18,000 families have been affected" by the quake in Al-Haouz, the site of its epicentre.
The education ministry announced that classes in the worst-hit villages of Al-Haouz were "suspended", and schools would not be open today.
Yesterday citizens rushed to hospitals in Marrakesh to donate blood to help the injured while many mobilised to help those affected.
Some parts of Marrakesh's historic medina and its network of alleyways saw significant damage, with mounds of rubble and crumpled buildings.
The kingdom has declared three days of national mourning.
The Red Cross warned it could take years to repair the damage caused by the quake.
"It won't be a matter of a week or two... We are counting on a response that will take months, if not years," said Hossam Elsharkawi, its Middle East and North Africa director.
The quake was the deadliest in Morocco since a 1960 earthquake destroyed Agadir, killing more than 12,000 people.
Embassy accepting aid donations
The Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco is now accepting donations from those who wish to help the country as it deals with the aftermath of Friday's earthquake.
In a message posted on social media the embassy said: "We would like to express our deepest gratitude for the Sympathy and Solidarity expressed and shown by people and organisations in Ireland and beyond to help recover from the devastating and deadly Earthquake that struck our Country Morocco on Friday 8 September 2023.
"Your Heartfelt calls, messages and offers of assistance we received at the Embassy have touched our Hearts."
It said that a bank account has been opened at Bank Al-Maghrib specifically to receive voluntary solidarity contributions from citizens, as well as private and public institutions.
Additional reporting Laura Fletcher
