A rare and powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck Morroco late on Friday, September 8, causing at least 296 deaths.

"According to a provisional report, the earthquake killed 296 people in the provinces and municipalities of Al Haouz, Marrakesh, Ouarzazate, Azilal, Chichaoua, and Taroudant," the Interior Ministry of Morocco said in a statement on early Saturday.

Aside from the preliminary death toll, the ministry said around 153 people were injured and hospitalized, while a local official said most fatalities occurred in remote mountainous areas that were hard to locate.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake hit at 23:11 local time (22:11 GMT). There was a 4.9 aftershock 19 minutes later.

The USGS estimates that the epicenter of the quake occurred in the Atlas Mountains, some 75 kilometers (44 miles) from Marrakesh, the fourth-largest city in the country.

The epicenter of the quake was near the mountain town of Ighil in Al Haouz Province, roughly 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) south of Marrakesh.

Several Moroccans shared a video of the incident, which showed destroyed structures and damaged portions of the renowned red walls that encircle Marrakesh's old city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tourists and others posted videos of people screaming and evacuating restaurants in the city.

Residents of Casablanca and Marrakech ran from their homes and stayed on the streets due to fear.

This marks the second devastating earthquake in Morocco after the 2004 Al Hoceima earthquake, which occurred on February 24, killing between 628 and 631 people.