The death toll from the deadliest 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Morocco in more than six decades has reached over 2,100.
According to a state television report, the death toll climbed to 2,122 with 2,421 people injured, which left survivors scrambling to find food, water, and shelter on Sunday as the search for the missing went on in isolated settlements.
Many people were spending a third night outside while relief workers were challenged in reaching the worst-affected villages in the High Atlas, a rough mountain terrain where populations are mostly inaccessible and where many homes collapsed.
The destruction of Morocco's cultural legacy was made evident when local media announced the collapse of a major mosque from the 12th century. Parts of Marrakech's old city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, were also damaged by the earthquake.
The army established a camp with tents for the homeless after being called in to aid in the rescue attempt.
Residents struggled to procure food and supplies as the majority of stores were destroyed or closed.
The epicenter of the earthquake was located 72 kilometers (45 miles) southwest of Marrakech, which is renowned among Moroccans and visitors for its medieval mosques, palaces, and seminaries that are lavishly decorated with vibrant mosaic tiling in the midst of a maze of rose-colored lanes.
Morocco's government announced on Sunday that it had established a fund for earthquake victims, adding that it is supplying drinking water, expanding search and rescue teams, and distributing food, tents, and blankets.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said Sunday that more than 300,000 people have been affected by the disaster.
