Morocco earthquake: At least 296 killed, houses damaged after massive temblor. Top updates

At least 296 people were killed after a powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit Morocco on Friday night, the interior ministry said. Residents posted videos showing buildings reduced to rubble and dust and parts of the famous red walls that surround the old city in historic Marrakech, a UNESCO World Heritage site, damaged.

Tourists and others posted videos of people screaming and evacuating restaurants in the city as throbbing club music played.

Top updates on Morocco earthquake:

1. The US Geological Survey said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 when it hit at 11:11pm, with shaking that lasted several seconds. Morocco’s National Seismic Monitoring and Alert Network measured it at 7 on the Richter scale. The US agency reported a magnitude-4.9 aftershock hit 19 minutes later.

2. The earthquake damaged buildings in major cities and sending panicked people pouring into streets and alleyways from the capital Rabat to Marrakech, the county's most visited tourist destination.

3. The epicentre of Friday's tremor was high in the Atlas Mountains roughly 70 kilometers south of Marrakech. It was also near Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa and Oukaimeden, a popular Moroccan ski resort. The USGS said the epicentre was 18 kilometres below the Earth’s surface, while Morocco’s seismic agency put it at 8 kilometres down.

4. The quake was felt as far away as Portugal and Algeria, according to the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere and Algeria's Civil Defense agency, which oversees emergency response.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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