The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck Morocco on Friday has increased to at least 2,497 people, as of 10 a.m. local time (5 a.m. ET) on Monday, state media said.
Another 2,476 people have been injured.
The disaster killed 1,452 people in Al Houz region, 764 in Taroudant, 202 in Chichaoua, 41 in Ouarzazate, 18 in Marrakech, 11 in Azilal, five in Agadir, three in Casablanca province, and one person in Youssoufia province.
The destruction of roads into remote villages are hindering efforts by Moroccan authorities to direct aid to some of the country’s hardest-hit regions, a Moroccan government official told CNN.
“The rescue efforts are ongoing to reach the difficult areas. The earthquake struck mountainous areas that are scattered geographically and it’s difficult to reach these areas in some cases,” the official said.
Authorities are using helicopters to reach the worst-hit areas and machinery to remove the rubble from the impassable roads, the official added.
Efforts are primarily focused on rescuing injured people and reaching those who may still be in the rubble in the mountainous regions. Triage field hospitals are in the process of being built, according to the official.
“There is an effort to build field hospitals near the villages affected to bring those injured and administer first aid before they are sent onwards to hospitals,” the official added.
