At least 2,681 people have died in the strongest-ever earthquake to hit Morocco, the interior ministry said on Monday, revising an earlier toll of nearly 2,500 dead.
The ministry reported that a further 2,501 people were hurt as rescuers raced against time to locate survivors.
The 6.8-magnitude earthquake that occurred on Friday destroyed entire towns in the Atlas Mountains’ slopes, just 72 kilometers (45 miles) southwest of Marrakesh, which is a popular tourist destination.
A magnitude 4.5 aftershock struck the same area on Sunday.
Nearly all of the structures in the mountain community of Tafeghaghte, 60 kilometers from Marrakech, were destroyed.
According to reports from the local community and Moroccan military personnel combed through the rubble in search of the dead and survivors.
