Morocco’s earthquake death toll nears 3,000

RABAT, Morocco

The death toll from a deadly earthquake that hit Morocco earlier this month has neared 3,000, the government said Wednesday.

"There is an update on the death toll, the martyrs' number has risen to 2,960," government spokesman Mustapha Baitas told journalists.

The last update by authorities on Sept. 13 said the death toll was 2,946.

Injuries from the quake stood at 6,125, in addition to large-scale damage to buildings and infrastructure, according to the latest update by the Interior Ministry.

The Moroccan Royal Court said 50,000 houses have completely or partially collapsed from the tremor.

"Works in the fields continue, counting the collapsed buildings is carried out in coordination between relevant authorities," said Baitas.

The quake which hit the central region Sept. 8, was the strongest to hit the North African country in a century, according to Morocco’s National Geophysical Institute.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar