Death toll from Morocco earthquake surpasses 2,900

MARRAKESH - The death toll from the devastating earthquake in Morocco has risen to 2,901, and the injuries to 5,530, according to the latest statement released by the Moroccan government on Tuesday.

In Ouirgane, one of the hardest-hit villages in the mountainous areas, Xinhua reporters saw all the houses flattened and rescue teams using excavators to clear the debris.

Morocco has accepted offers of aid from Spain, Britain, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, while the help offers from other countries are pending approval.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) on Tuesday launched an emergency appeal for 100 million Swiss francs (112 million U.S. dollars) to support the victims of the earthquake in Morocco.

The most pressing needs at this time are water, sanitation, and shelter, Caroline Holt, global director of operations at IFRC, told reporters in Geneva. "We need to make sure that we avoid a second wave of disaster," she said.

Zhang Feigong, chief of the Agadir unit of the Chinese medical team in Morocco, told Xinhua that the medical team has donated urgently needed medical supplies such as finger pulse oximeters, electronic sphygmomanometers, and antibacterial hand sanitizers to local hospitals.

The 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit the North African country at 11:11 p.m. local time (2211 GMT) on Friday at a depth of 18.5 km, said the United States Geological Survey.