Search operations continue in quake-hit Morocco for 5th day

RABAT, Morocco

Search and rescue teams continued their efforts for the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday to recover people and bodies trapped beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings in areas hard hit by Friday's deadly earthquake in Morocco.

According to an Anadolu reporter, the teams were able to pull people trapped under the rubble of the collapsed buildings and recover bodies in central Morocco.

The reporter said several public initiatives were launched to support the affected people and provide them with relief materials.

Earlier on Sunday, the Moroccan government announced the establishment of special bank accounts to collect donations from citizens and local businesses in order to assist the affected people.

The Moroccan Interior Ministry also announced on Sunday that the Kingdom had accepted offers from the four nations to dispatch search and rescue teams from Spain, the UK, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

At least 2,862 people were killed and 2,562 others were injured when a magnitude 7 earthquake struck Morocco late Friday.

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

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar