Rescuers in Morocco searched Monday for any remaining survivors from the powerful earthquake that killed more than 2,100 people.
The government said search teams from Britain, Spain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates were joining the effort to dig through the rubble in villages in the Atlas Mountains.
The magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Friday night, injuring more than 2,400 people in addition to the dead. The U.S. Geological Survey said the epicenter of the quake was 72 kilometers southwest of Marrakech.
The United Nations estimated that 300,000 people were affected by the quake, which was the most powerful to hit Morocco in a century. Rescue efforts were slow, and some Moroccans complained on social networks that the government wasn’t allowing more rescue workers into the country to help.
U.S. President Joe Biden told reporters Sunday that his administration stood ready to provide any necessary assistance to Morocco.
Those left homeless by the quake’s destruction slept outside for a third consecutive night Sunday.
King Mohammed VI ordered three days of national mourning starting Sunday as flags were lowered across the country. The army mobilized specialized search and rescue teams, and the king ordered water, food rations and shelter to be provided to those who lost their homes.
The king called for mosques across the kingdom to hold prayers Sunday for the victims, many of whom were buried Saturday amid the frenzy of rescue work nearby.
Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
