A 6.8 magnitude earthquake has struck Central Morocco killing at least 296 people according to the country’s Interior Ministry.
According to BBC, there are reports the death toll could be much higher as more people remain missing.
The US Geological Survey said the epicentre was in the High Atlas Mountains, 71km (44 miles) southwest of Marrakesh, at a depth of 18.5km.
The quake struck at 23:11 local time (22:11 GMT). There was a 4.9 aftershock 19 minutes later.
“According to a provisional report, the earthquake killed 296 people in the provinces and municipalities of al-Haouz, Marrakesh, Ouarzazate, Azilal, Chichaoua and Taroudant,” the statement said.
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Further, the report says that 153 people were injured and hospitalised.
Locals are said to have decided to stay outside their homes in case the city is rocked by powerful aftershocks. Another man in the historic city described feeling a “violent tremor” and seeing “buildings moving”.
“People were all in shock and panic. The children were crying and the parents were distraught,” Abdelhak El Amrani told the AFP agency.
According to him, the phone and electricity lines were out for ten minutes.
In addition, AFP said that other city residents were rushed to hospitals and that one family was trapped in a house's collapsed debris.
The earthquake's shallow epicentre was in a distant region of the High Atlas Mountains, although vibrations were also reportedly felt 350 km away from Rabat, Casablanca, and Essaouira.
Simple structures in mountain settlements close to the centre may not have survived, and because they are far away, it may take some time to ascertain how many people were killed there.
