Brits describe 'warzone' sound of Morocco earthquake and 'eerie' aftermath

09 September 2023 , 12:26

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Morrocco-based British journalist Martin Jay said he's lucky to be alive after he was woken up by his wife screaming

Britons across Morocco have described the "warzone"-esque "noise, confusion and terror" at the moment a rare 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck, killing nearly a thousand people.

The country's biggest earthquake in over 120 years had its epicentre south of Marrakesh on Friday night, killing at least 820 people and leaving more than 670 injured. Many people across the country were just settling into sleep when the tremors began around 11pm. Morrocco-based British journalist Martin Jay said he's lucky to be alive after he was woken up by his wife screaming. He told the Mirror he grabbed his wife's hand and "literally pulled her across the bed" before running into the hallway to see a three-metre wall pancaked on the floor.

Martin continued: "I bumbled to get the keys and we ran out the house before realising we left the dog in the bedroom, so I rushed back to get the dog. It wasn't until a few minutes later that I realised we were in the middle of the earthquake." He said he felt "stupid" for not realising because "all four walls were shaking and the floor was moving from left to right."

Morrocco-based British journalist Martin Jay said he's lucky to be alive (Martin Jay)

Martin lives in Amizmiz, a small town at the foot of the High Atlas Mountains just around 50 miles from the quake's epicentre. He said army helicopters have been slowly circling over the tops of the mountains all morning, scouring the tiny villages for assistance. The owner and editor of Maghrebi.org said he built his bedroom out of wood, which "saved his life" because concrete breezeblocks would have collapsed and either "crushed us or split our heads open."

He continued: "I've been in six or seven war zones as a journalist and so the only thing I can liken it to — the noise, the confusion and the sheer terror of being in a situation where you feel so vulnerable — is a war zone. It scared the living daylight out of my wife. I mean, she really was shrieking."

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In Marrakech, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, some buildings have collapsed and big cracks are now visible across a section of the medieval city's walls, with fears famous sites will be damaged. Manchester-based artist Steven Openshaw had just stepped out of the shower of his Marrakech hotel when the rumbles began.

A woman walks through the rubbles past earthquake-damaged houses in the old city in Marrakesh (AFP via Getty Images)

Speaking from a sunlounger by the pool, where guests have been sleeping since last night, he told the Mirror: "The hotel starts shaking and here I am, semi-naked on kneeling on the bed. I didn't know what to do, I was dressing as I was running. There were flip-flops left on the stairs, one was on the top stair and one was halfway down. It seems a bit insignificant, just two flip-flops, but it just shows humans running away from danger. There was also so much screaming."

Beverley Veerasawmy, from Kent, was getting ready for bed at her hotel in Agadir, some 160 miles from Marrakech on the coast, when she felt shakes. At first, she thought her husband was playing a game. She told the Mirror: "But I looked and he was asleep, then it got stronger and stronger and quite violent and the whole room was shaking. I don't know how long it lasted but it almost reached a crescendo."

Devastation from the earthquake (SplashNews.com)

Despite there being no visible devastation, Beverley said the atmosphere in the beach hotel is very sombre. She continued: "Normally at this time of the day, we're fighting for sun beds. But there's not many people down there at all. Hundreds of people have died and it feels a bit bad taste to be enjoying our holiday down the road."

Hospitals in Marrakesh have seen an influx of injured people and the authorities have called on residents to donate blood. Reports say whole families are trapped under the rubble of their homes in the city. The quake's epicentre in a remote area of the High Atlas Mountains was relatively shallow but tremors were also reportedly felt in the capital Rabat, as well as Casablanca and Essaouira.

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the UK government is "ready to help our Moroccan friends in whatever way we can". The government is also supporting foreign nationals in the country, he said.

Rachel Hagan