US President Joe Biden "deeply saddened" over loss of lives in Morocco earthquake

The US President said that he is "deeply saddened" by the loss of lives and massive devastation that was caused by the quake in Morocco.

In a post on X, Biden wrote, "I am deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation caused by the earthquake in Morocco."

"The United States stands by Morocco and my friend King Mohammed VI at this difficult moment. And, my Administration is ready to provide any necessary assistance for the Moroccan people," he added.

After the magnitude 6.8 earthquake, which claimed the lives of more than 2,012 people and injured 2,059 others while also leaving many homeless, authorities on Saturday proclaimed three days of national mourning in the country.

According to a statement from the military, King Mohammed VI of Morocco directed the armed forces to deploy specialized search and rescue teams and a surgical field hospital.

Historic structures in Marrakesh, the closest city to the epicentre, were damaged by the earthquake that shook Morocco's High Atlas mountains late on Friday night, but the majority of casualties were recorded in mountainous regions to the south in the Al-Haouz and Taroudant provinces, reported Al Jazeera.

Meanwhile, the efforts to clear roads for search and rescue operations are underway.

The earthquake took place at 03:41:01 (UTC+05:30) at a depth of 18.5 km. The magnitude of the earthquake caused pulses to travel from Sidi Ifni in the south to Rabat in the north and beyond.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the quake.

Taking to X, PM Modi said, Extremely pained by the loss of lives due to an earthquake in Morocco. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the people of Morocco. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. India is ready to offer all possible assistance to Morocco in this difficult time. (ANI)