Eiffel Tower lights turned off: Paris pays tribute to Morocco earthquake victims

livemint.com:

Paying tribute to the victims of Morocco earthquake, Eiffel Tower's lights were turned off on Saturday in Paris, France. The light of the world famous tower were turned off at 11 pm. Notably, Morocco has witnessed one of its deadliest earthquakes in decades.

Morocco Interior Ministry said that more than 2000 people have been killed and another 1500 are severely injured due to the natural calamity. The African nation witnessed an earthquake of 6.8 magnitude and its epicentre was located at around 72 km (45 miles) southwest of Marrakech. Morocco has revised upward the death toll from a powerful earthquake that shook Marrakesh and surrounding regions.

The Interior Ministry said late Saturday that 2,012 people were killed when the temblor struck late Friday. The toll is expected to rise as rescuers struggled to reach hard-hit remote areas. The ministry said the highest number of deaths were recorded in Al Haouz province, with 1,293 killed; and Taroudant, with 452.

At least 2,059 people were injured, including 1,404 critically. The government also announced three days of national mourning. The magnitude 6.8 quake on Friday was the biggest to hit the North African country in 120 years.

Late Saturday, King Mohammed VI decreed three days of national mourning. The monarch, who was abroad at the time of the Friday disaster, also called for donations from citizens and local businesses. The “painful" earthquake caused “important human and material losses in several regions of the kingdom", the royal cabinet quoted him as saying after a meeting with officials.