Scenes of desolation in quake-hit Al Hoceima region

The town of Imzouren, 16 km from the northeastern Mediterranean city of Al Hoceima, offers a scene of desolation after the 6.5 magnitude quake that jolted the region on Tuesday at 2:30 am, as people were sleeping, making at least 564 dead and 300 wounded.

In the area of Ait Kamra, where the epicenter of the tremor was located, the 13 hamlets where homes mainly mud-brick made, were almost totally flattened and hospitals of Al Hoceima, which was relatively spared devastation, are overwhelmed by increasing numbers of wounded. Many seriously injured were airlifted to the capital Rabat, Casablanca and Meknes.

Rescue teams continue to search under what was left of some 20 houses. Inhabitants of the peaceful town wandered about on neighboring waste grounds. They spent the night in the open for fear of strong aftershocks. They help rescue teams whenever they can with their bare hands or shovels.

Morocco's firemen who came from all Morocco are hastily digging and moving debris to search for survivors. They say heavy equipment and more sniffer dogs were needed.

Food and medical assistance is distributed as it is received and tents and mounted water tankers were set up near every village.

Morocco's electricity utility, ONE, said they were doing the necessary to restore power in stricken areas while health minister, Mohamed Cheikh Biadillah, said his department has sent some 150 doctors, 370 medicaids, and some 40 ambulances for rescue operations.

Morocco, situated on the northwest corner of the African continent and separated from Europe by the narrow Strait of Gibraltar, suffered its worst recorded quake in 1960. It destroyed the Atlantic city of Agadir, killing 12,000 people.