The epicentre of the quake measuring 6 on the Richter scale, is located in Ait Kamra town (Al Hoceima Province). It is one of the most powerful and deadliest quake to have recently hit Morocco. The casualty toll was exceptionally high with 629 killed and 926 injured while 15 230 were left homeless as 2 539 dwellings collapsed.
There was great damage as well, but due to the physical features of the area, being mountainous, hence, inaccessible, no accurate assessment was made.
The Moroccan territory is a favourable ground for interactions and collusions between African and Euroasian plates. The High, Medium and Rif Atlas Chains regarded to be the most active sismotectonic regions in nortwestern Africa.
Morocco has a history of numerous important earthquakes among which we will list those that occurred on:
Al Hoceima's recent disaster reignites the debate over the insurability of natural risks in the Maghreb.