Last night, the Volcanological Institute of the Canary Islands (Involcan) recorded a significant earthquake in Morocco, noting that it was “mildly” felt as a “gentle” tremor in the Canary Islands. The seismic event was located in the Atlas Mountains, specifically between the cities of Marrakech and Agadir. Tragically, the earthquake has resulted in at least 820 fatalities and 670 injuries thus far.
According to Involcan, the quake had an estimated magnitude of 6.8, marking it as the most powerful seismic event in Morocco since the beginning of instrumental record-keeping. The earthquake had a depth of approximately 10 kilometres.
In terms of its geological characteristics, Involcan stated that the quake was of a compressional type and is connected to the ongoing formation of the Atlas Mountains. Furthermore, its maximum intensity was gauged at grade IX on the Mercalli Scale, categorising it as ‘very destructive,’ according to the institute.
