The death toll from the rare, powerful 7-magnitude earthquake that struck Morocco late Friday night has surpassed 2,000.

The blacklist is expected to increase dramatically as more than 1000 people are hospitalized in a critical condition while the number of missing under the sytrims is still unknown.

Enceladus struck at 11 at night (1 am Greek time) “catching” people literally in their sleep. Entire families with young children were buried within seconds under the rubble of their house, which collapsed on top of them.

The greatest tragedy is taking place in villages from the Atlas Mountains to the historic city of Marrakesh, where hundreds – perhaps thousands – of houses, which were not built to withstand such a blow, collapsed.

Rescue crews – where they have arrived – are racing against time – to locate and rescue survivors.

In the most remote areas, residents themselves dig their neighbors out from under the debris and bury them on the same day…

Morocco

Morocco

According to the latest figures from the interior ministry, 2,012 people have lost their lives and 2,059 have been injured, of which 1,404 are in critical condition.

Morocco

Al-Hawz province, where the earthquake was epicenter, has recorded the most deaths, 1,293, followed by Taroudad province with 452 deaths. In these areas, located southwest of Marrakesh, entire villages have been leveled by the earthquake.

The epicenter of the earthquake was about 70 kilometers southwest of Marrakesh, where the old, historic quarter of the city and a Unesco monument was severely damaged.