Rabat – A moderate earthquake measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale struck Meknes province late on Wednesday night, according to Morocco’s National Institute of Geophysics.
Nasser Jabour, Director of the institute, told Moroccan news outlet SNRTnews that the earthquake occurred at exactly 11:43 p.m. The epicenter was located in the commune of Ain Karma, within Meknes province, at a depth of 11 kilometers. Residents across the area reported feeling the tremor.
Local reports said the quake was strongly felt in the town of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, where many residents rushed out of their homes and gathered in open spaces and public squares out of fear of aftershocks.
Locals took to social media last night to report feeling the tremor and share images of people gathering in open spaces despite the cold weather and continuous rainfall.
No human casualties or material damage were reported as of Thursday morning
While the Meknes region has not historically been known for significant seismic activity, Morocco has recently been experiencing occasional seismic movements in different areas, Jabour said. He stated that such tremors are generally monitored closely by specialists.
The earthquake revived painful memories for many Moroccans, particularly of the devastating earthquake that struck the Al Haouz region near Marrakech in 2023. That powerful quake killed at least 3,000 peopleand left a deep psychological impact on communities across the country.
Measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale, the earthquake caused massive destruction in several areas near Marrakech and damaged entire villages.
The disaster had a considerable impact on Moroccans nationwide, which makes even moderate earthquakes a source of fear and anxiety for many residents.
