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Tourists are leaving Morocco in droves after the country was rocked by a devastating earthquake that left more than 2,000 dead.
Morocco was hit by its worst earthquake in 60 years on Friday evening, destroying buildings across the country and forcing citizens and tourists to sleep in the streets as fears grew of buildings collapsing on top of them. .
Holidaymakers were seen leaving the stricken country in their thousands, with queues snaking outside the main entrances of several Moroccan airports, including Marrakech airport.
While much of Morocco was hit hard by the powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake, particularly in rural areas with dilapidated infrastructure, it appears that tourists, most of whom reside in large cities like Marrakech, can currently leave the country.
The latest advice from the UK Foreign Office, published yesterday evening, states: “All Moroccan airports are open and flights to and from the UK are operating as normal, with some airlines providing additional seats for travelers wishing to return in the United Kingdom earlier than expected. .
Long queues were observed at exits from Moroccan airports in the days following the earthquake.
Holidaymakers were seen leaving the stricken country in their thousands.
UK Foreign Office says flights from Morocco to UK still operating
“Travelers wishing to change their flight plans should contact their tour operators or airlines directly.
“If you are planning to travel to Morocco imminently, we advise you to check with your accommodation provider/tour operator to confirm arrangements before departure in case of disruption or damage resulting from the earthquake. »
Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Rabat, the Moroccan capital, is telling U.S. citizens: “Please exercise caution for the next 24 hours in case of additional earthquakes or aftershocks.”
“A tsunami warning will also be in effect for coastal areas. Follow police instructions regarding road closures or traffic disruptions.
Several British tourists are believed to have disappeared in the chaos following the earthquake.
Relatives were desperately trying to contact three Britons living in Imlil, a remote mountain village close to the epicenter.
Posting on X, formerly known as Twitter, the family of Rebecca Calvert, 65, from Windsor, pleaded for help from Foreign Minister James Cleverly.
Tourists and Moroccan citizens were forced to sleep outdoors in the hours following the earthquake.
Vacationers were seen leaving Morocco in their thousands
Several British tourists missing in post-earthquake chaos
Ms Calvert was staying with her friend Hilary McKegney at the Hôtel Le Village du Toubkal.
Her daughter Katie told Mr Cleverly: “We are very worried and need your help to find her and bring her home safely. Please urgently send UK assets to the specific region and urgently provide an update on their whereabouts.
Another British woman appealed for information about X, writing: “My sister and her family are there and I haven’t heard from Imlil or them.
Alice Morrison, a British author who lives in Imlil, described the moment the earthquake struck, writing on her blog: “I hear screaming and screaming. One is mine. I am alone in the dark on the moving terrain.
Helen Morris, 37, from Neath, south Wales, and her friend Amy Pritchard, 37, were at the Riu Tikida Garden hotel in Marrakech when paintings fell from the walls. “We dove under the desk until everything stopped moving… for 30 to 40 seconds,” Ms Morris said.
Shannon Nolan, 31, from Bristol, who was staying at the Aqua Mirage Marrakech with her sister, their mother and six children, said: “The bed was shaking, the wardrobe was shaking, the TV came off the wall and the mirror entered. the bathroom broke. When I got up to walk, it was like I was at sea.
The devastating earthquake has already displaced at least 2,000 people, a number that will only increase in the coming days.
The U.S. Embassy asked U.S. citizens to watch out for aftershocks in the coming days.
The Red Cross has warned that the next 24 to 48 hours will be crucial to saving the lives of people trapped in rubble across the region.
Morocco’s Interior Ministry said another 2,000 people were injured, including 1,400 in critical condition.
Morocco’s royal family has declared three days of national mourning after the deadly earthquake.
“Three days of national mourning have been decided, with flags at half-mast on all public buildings,” said a statement published by the official MAP news agency after King Mohamed VI chaired a meeting to discuss the disaster.
The earthquake struck the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and caused tremors as far away as Portugal.
The Red Cross has warned that the next 24 to 48 hours will be crucial to saving the lives of people trapped in rubble across the region, Sky News reports.
Some of the worst-affected areas are remote and mountainous, creating additional challenges for rescuers.
Carol Holt, global head of operations for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said: “We know what to expect. It is necessary to manage corpses with dignity. It is necessary to provide people with clean drinking water.
“We need to make sure that there is no catastrophe within the catastrophe. Hygiene really needs to be maintained.
“The next 24 to 48 hours will be crucial to saving lives.”
The International Federation is reviewing the crisis and preparing to send its emergency response teams.
The organization’s regional director, Dr. Hossam Elsharkawi, said the response could even take years, while the disaster could last “several months or even years.”
“It will not take a week or two of response like our region experienced with the big earthquakes in Turkey and Syria earlier this year,” he said.