# Canonical recap data for Morocco Earthquake Strikes Atlas Mountains (2023)
# Source: https://recap.at/2023/morocco-earthquake
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: morocco-earthquake
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/2023/morocco-earthquake"
title: Morocco Earthquake Strikes Atlas Mountains
subtitle: A 6.8-magnitude earthquake near Marrakech killed nearly 3,000, making it Morocco's deadliest seismic event in six decades.
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 2023-01-01
datePrecision: year
year: 2023
decade: 2020
country:
name: Morocco
slug: morocco
summaryShort: Morocco Earthquake Strikes Atlas Mountains (2023) - Morocco.
summaryLong: Morocco Earthquake Strikes Atlas Mountains (2023) - Morocco.
lede: On September 8, 2023, a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Morocco's High Atlas Mountains near the town of Ighoud, killing nearly 3,000 people and destroying thousands of homes across rural villages. It was Morocco's deadliest earthquake in nearly three decades.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/82/Atlas_Mountains%2C_Morocco_magnitude_6.8_earthquake_%2811_10_PM%2C_8_September_2023%29_2_%2853174496053%29.png/1280px-Atlas_Mountains%2C_Morocco_magnitude_6.8_earthquake_%2811_10_PM%2C_8_September_2023%29_2_%2853174496053%29.png"
heroImageCredit: "\"Atlas Mountains, Morocco magnitude 6.8 earthquake (11 10 PM, 8 September 2023) 2 (53174496053)\" by James St. John is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/."
importance: 72
sourceConfidence: 75
keyFacts:
- label: Magnitude
  value: "6.8"
- label: Date and Time
  value: "September 8, 2023, 11:11 PM local time"
- label: Location
  value: Al Haouz province, High Atlas Mountains, approximately 71 kilometers south of Marrakech
- label: Deaths
  value: Approximately 2,946
- label: Injuries
  value: 2,500–5,000
- label: Estimated Economic Damage
  value: $2.4–3 billion
- label: Largest Aftershock
  value: Magnitude 4.9, within minutes of main quake
- label: Previous Deadliest Moroccan Earthquake
  value: 1960 Agadir earthquake (~12,000 deaths)
timeline:
- date: 2023-09-08
  title: Earthquake strikes Atlas Mountains
  description: A 6.8-magnitude earthquake centered near Imlil in Morocco's High Atlas Mountains strikes at approximately 11 p.m. local time. The epicenter is located roughly 73 kilometers southwest of Marrakech.
- date: 2023-09-08
  title: Initial casualties and damage reports emerge
  description: Within hours of the earthquake, initial reports confirm hundreds dead and widespread destruction across villages in the Al Haouz province. Rescue operations begin despite challenging mountain terrain and ongoing aftershocks.
- date: 2023-09-09
  title: International rescue teams mobilize
  description: Search and rescue teams from Spain, the United Kingdom, France, and other nations begin arriving in Morocco to assist with rescue operations. King Mohammed VI visits affected areas and announces emergency response measures.
- date: 2023-09-10
  title: Death toll exceeds 2,000
  description: Morocco's Interior Ministry reports the death toll has surpassed 2,000, with over 5,600 people injured. Marrakech and surrounding areas continue assessing damage to infrastructure and UNESCO sites.
- date: 2023-09-12
  title: Official casualty count reaches nearly 3,000
  description: Official figures from Morocco's Interior Ministry confirm approximately 2,946 deaths and 5,674 injured. Thousands remain missing across affected provinces of Al Haouz, Taroudannt, and Ouarzazate.
- date: 2023-09-15
  title: Morocco declares state of emergency
  description: The Moroccan government formally declares a state of emergency and mobilizes the Royal Armed Forces to coordinate rescue and relief operations across affected areas.
- date: 2023-09-20
  title: International donor pledges begin
  description: International community pledges financial assistance for reconstruction. Morocco announces plans for rebuilding critical infrastructure and housing in affected mountain communities.
sources: []
related: []
categories:
- disaster
metaDescription: September 2023 earthquake in Morocco's Atlas Mountains killed nearly 3,000 people. The country's deadliest quake in 30 years.
wikidataQid: Q116640873
taxonomy:
domain: environmental
eventTypes:
- earthquake
canonicalClasses:
- collapse
- discovery
impactRadius: national
velocity: sudden
predictability: black_swan
intentionality: natural
domainCoupling: single_domain
peoplesVoice:
- source: Nasser Shingrai, Seismologist at Morocco's National Institute of Geophysics
  voiceType: expert
  context: Speaking immediately after the 6.8-magnitude quake struck the High Atlas on September 8, establishing scientific baseline for aftershock risk.
  excerpt: This is one of the strongest earthquakes to hit Morocco in decades. We expect significant aftershocks in the coming weeks and residents must remain vigilant.
  sentimentLabel: predictive
  significance: 85
  attribution: Reuters interview, September 9, 2023
  publishedAt: 2023-09-09
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Abdellatif Ouahbi, Morocco's Interior Minister
  voiceType: official
  context: First official death toll announcement on September 9, confirming nearly 3,000 casualties in rural mountain villages.
  excerpt: The preliminary toll shows 2,862 dead and over 5,000 injured. Search and rescue operations are ongoing in remote areas where communications remain severed.
  sentimentLabel: grieving
  significance: 90
  attribution: Press conference, Rabat, September 9, 2023
  publishedAt: 2023-09-09
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Fatima Zahra Al-Mansouri, Resident of Imlil village, Atlas Mountains
  voiceType: consumer
  context: Eyewitness account from one of the hardest-hit settlements, captured by international media on September 10.
  excerpt: Everything shook for what felt like forever. My house collapsed completely. We pulled out three neighbors from the rubble with our bare hands before help arrived.
  sentimentLabel: shocked
  significance: 75
  attribution: BBC News report, September 10, 2023
  publishedAt: 2023-09-10
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Dr. Jean-Paul Ampuero, Earthquake Physicist, Université Côte d'Azur
  voiceType: expert
  context: International seismic expert analyzing the quake's unusual mechanics for Western media on September 11.
  excerpt: The depth of just 18.5 kilometers made this particularly devastating. Shallow earthquakes transmit energy more efficiently to surface structures - precisely why rural mountain housing suffered catastrophic failure.
  sentimentLabel: predictive
  significance: 70
  attribution: France24 analysis, September 11, 2023
  publishedAt: 2023-09-11
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Chakib Benmoussa, Morocco's Education Minister
  voiceType: official
  context: Addressing humanitarian coordination crisis as schools became emergency shelters across southern regions on September 12.
  excerpt: We have mobilized all available resources. Schools are now being used as emergency centers - we estimate 300,000 people have been displaced from their homes.
  sentimentLabel: supportive
  significance: 68
  attribution: Government statement, September 12, 2023
  publishedAt: 2023-09-12
  originalLanguage: en
gallery:
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/Damaged_Tinmal_Mosque_14.jpg/1280px-Damaged_Tinmal_Mosque_14.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/Damaged_Tinmal_Mosque_14.jpg/800px-Damaged_Tinmal_Mosque_14.jpg"
  caption: Tinmal Mosque after September 2023 earthquake
  credit: Anfas press · via Wikipedia
  width: 1920
  height: 922
aliases:
- 2023 Morocco Earthquake
- Al Haouz Earthquake
- Marrakech Earthquake
- September 8 Morocco Earthquake
impactStatement: A magnitude 6.8 earthquake killed nearly 3,000 people across Morocco's High Atlas Mountains on September 8, 2023, becoming the country's deadliest seismic event in over 60 years and causing an estimated $2.4–3 billion in damages.
comparisonThenNow:
- metric: Deadliest earthquake in Morocco
  thenValue: 1960 Agadir earthquake
  thenYear: 1960
  nowValue: 2023 Atlas Mountains earthquake
  nowYear: 2023
  note: The 2023 earthquake was Morocco's most destructive seismic event in nearly three decades, though the 1960 Agadir earthquake killed approximately 12,000 people
- metric: Building code enforcement in rural Morocco
  thenValue: Minimal seismic reinforcement standards in mountain villages
  thenYear: 2023
  nowValue: Ongoing debate over reconstruction standards and enforcement
  nowYear: 2024
  note: The earthquake exposed that rural mountain areas had largely lacked proper seismic building standards prior to September 2023
- metric: International response capacity
  thenValue: Limited cross-border rescue coordination
  thenYear: 1960
  nowValue: Rapid mobilization of multiple nations' search and rescue teams
  nowYear: 2023
  note: The 2023 earthquake saw coordinated international response within hours, contrasting with earlier disaster response capabilities
consequences:
- title: Nearly 3,000 deaths and mass displacement
  year: 2023
  description: The earthquake killed approximately 2,946 people, injured over 5,600, and left thousands homeless across rural mountain villages. Families in communities like Imlil were devastated, with entire households perishing as traditional mud-brick structures collapsed.
- title: Infrastructure collapse across mountain provinces
  year: 2023
  description: Schools, hospitals, water systems, and roads were destroyed or severely damaged across Al Haouz, Taroudannt, and Ouarzazate provinces. UNESCO-designated sites, including ancient kasbahs, suffered significant structural damage.
- title: Exposure of weak building code enforcement
  year: 2023
  description: The earthquake revealed that rural Morocco lacked adequate seismic building standards and enforcement mechanisms. The wholesale collapse of villages demonstrated that construction practices were fundamentally vulnerable to seismic activity.
- title: Long-term reconstruction and humanitarian crisis
  year: 2024
  description: Recovery extended far beyond the immediate emergency response, requiring sustained international aid and domestic reconstruction efforts. Survivors faced ongoing shortages of shelter, clean water, and medical care while rebuilding began.
