An earthquake hit Al Hoceima overnight and registered at 3.2 on the Richter scale.
Rabat – An earthquake struck the northern edge of the Rif mountains overnight, rocking the city of Al Hoceima. The epicenter of the quake was centered in the Sidi Boutmim area and affected a 25-kilometer area, according to news outlets.
Al Hoceima sits near a major tectonic plate boundary separating the African and Eurasian plates, which makes it a vulnerable spot for earthquakes.
In 2004, one of the deadliest earthquakes to hit Morocco occurred near Ait Kamra in the Al Hoceima province. The earthquake leveled nearly 2,600 houses and killed approximately 630 people.
Read Also: Magnitude 3.2 Earthquake Shakes Morocco’s Meknes
Last year, earthquakes struck the area twice in one month. A 4.0 earthquake struck the Al Hoceima province at the beginning of November, and a 3.8 quake hit neighboring Driouch province at the end of the month.
There have been no reported deaths or significant damage from yesterday’s earthquake.
However, a study conducted by researchers indicated that Al Hoceima might not always be so lucky. The study determined that “a significant percentage of the buildings of Al Hoceima have a high seismic vulnerability,” meaning that the city could potentially be victim to another tragedy like the 2004 earthquake unless people take action to improve buildings.
