In ancient cities and mountain towns, rescuers seek survivors from Morocco’s quake of the century

By SAM METZ and MOSA’AB ELSHAMY
Associated Press

MARRAKECH, Morocco (AP) — Morocco is working to rescue survivors while praying for victims of the country’s strongest earthquake in more than a century. Soldiers and aid workers brought water and supplies to mountain villages in ruins. More than 2,000 people are confirmed dead but the number is expected to rise. Those left homeless by the destruction of Friday night’s earthquake slept outside Saturday, in the streets of Marrakech or under makeshift canopies in Atlas Mountain towns like Moulay Brahim that were among the hardest-hit. The worst destruction is in small, rural communities that are hard for rescuers to reach because of the mountainous terrain. The magnitude-6.8 earthquake toppled buildings and sent people racing from their beds into the streets.