On Friday morning, Nathaniel Williams was in the middle of packing to leave Marrakech, Morocco for the next stage of his trip when it happened.
鈥淥ut of nowhere, the ground just started to shake, started to vibrate,鈥� he told 麻豆传媒 Channel Sunday, speaking from Las Palmas, Spain. 鈥淎nd my partner and I looked at each other and we were just in absolute shock.鈥�
What they were experiencing was the nation鈥檚 strongest earthquake in more than a century 鈥� a 6.8 magnitude quake which killed more than 2,100 people, a number which is still rising as rescuers strive to pull people from the rubble.
The epicentre of the quake was around 70 kilometres south of Marrakech, in the Atlas Mountains region, where Williams and his partner had been just the day before.
The couple, who come from Toronto, were back at their Airbnb on the outskirts of the city when the quake hit, packing up to head to Spain, where they are now.
As the room began to shake, they were plunged into darkness, Williams said. The light fixtures started to sway as the building shuddered. He tried to make it outside, but the floor was so unsteady that he fell as soon as he left the doorway. His partner called him back into the room where it was safer.
鈥淲e just grabbed each other and held each other and just hoped and prayed for the best,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淏ut we were thinking, 鈥榯his may be our last moments,鈥� honestly.鈥�
He described it as 鈥渢errifying,鈥� adding that the most intense shaking last 20 seconds, but that it felt like a minute.
鈥淚t was very scary. I never experienced anything like that in my life,鈥� he said.
鈥淲e knew that in the city itself, it would be much worse, 鈥榗ause there鈥檚 a lot of people walking the streets and restaurants, a lot of people on motorbikes, the streets are very close together, so we knew that it was going to be really bad.鈥�
The couple were in the Atlas Mountains region on Thursday, where the earthquake would later strike. The region is known for small, scenic villages nestled in the mountains, and has been devastated by the earthquake. Numerous houses collapsed in the quake or were smashed by falling rocks from the mountains, and the winding roads were made nearly impassable by rubble, causing difficulties for rescue operations attempting to reach those still trapped.
鈥淭he region鈥檚 absolutely beautiful 鈥� the people are amazing, very kind, very friendly,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淲e spent a lot of time having food with them, exchanging stories, so we really connected with the people in the Atlas mountains, so my heart goes out to them.鈥�
Most of those killed in the earthquake were from the Al Haouz district in the High Atlas Mountains, according to the Interior Ministry, with 1,351 deaths recorded in that region so far. At least 2,421 people are injured throughout the broader region affected by the quake.
Rural areas were more likely to have their buildings collapse in the earthquake, not only because of proximity to the epicentre of the quake, but also because they鈥檙e not designed to withstand intense tremors.
鈥淯nfortunately mortar building like that are prone to collapse,鈥� Russell Pysklywec, professor of geophysics at the University of Toronto, told CTV National News. 鈥淩eally, what we have to do is build for these events.鈥�
In Marrakech, many buildings are also seriously damaged. Tourists and residents lined up Sunday to donate blood to help the wounded.
A magnitude 3.9 aftershock rippled through the region on Sunday as well, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, but it was unclear if it caused additional damage.
Williams described walking through the streets on Friday after the earthquake as a shock.
鈥淲e just seen debris and rubble everywhere, especially blocking the entrances to a lot of these smaller homes. It was just absolute chaos. Children were crying, everyone was just in the streets, terrified to go back into their homes 鈥� it was very sad.鈥�
Back in Canada, the Moroccan Association of Toronto has been reaching out to those in the area affected by the earthquake.
Narjiss Lazrak told 麻豆传媒 Channel on Sunday that they鈥檝e heard more back from some regions than others.
鈥淪ome areas that the houses have been destroyed,鈥� she said. 鈥淪ome houses no access to water, no food, nothing.鈥�
Others experienced the quake as nothing more than a 鈥渕ovement鈥� and then 鈥渁 big loud noise that scared everybody,鈥� she said.
So far, Global Affairs Canada is not aware of any Canadian citizen injured or killed in the earthquake. In a Sunday statement, the agency said that it has been in contact with approximately 50 Canadian citizens in Morocco and is providing them assistance.
鈥淥ur hearts are with the families and friends of the people who lost their lives in the earthquake, as well as with all people affected,鈥� Global Affairs said.
Lazrak said they鈥檝e heard from those on the ground in Marrakech that the rescue process has been difficult and harrowing at times.
鈥淚t鈥檚 hard because if you are getting the big machinery on areas like this, it might hurt other people who are under debris, so that鈥檚 what makes it very challenging, because we want to rescue those people under debris,鈥� Lazrak said.
鈥淎lso, some areas (authorities) couldn鈥檛 get to them because of the height, or because of the roads are broken.鈥�
Moroccan Montreal city councillor Abdelhaq Sari told the Canadian Press on Saturday that it鈥檚 been difficult for members of the Moroccan community in Montreal to in rural areas of the country following the earthquake.
He is calling for the Canadian government to help with aid efforts.
鈥淢orocco is a friend of Canada," Sari said. 鈥淚f we can help it will be very, very appreciated.鈥�
Numerous countries and agencies have offered aid to Morocco. A Spanish search-and-rescue team has arrived in Marrakech, according to Spain鈥檚 Emergency Military Unit. So far, Morocco has not officially requested international assistance, which Global Affairs Canada noted in its Sunday statement.
鈥淕lobal Affairs Canada (GAC) stands ready to assist the people of Morocco at this difficult time,鈥� the statement reads. 鈥淕AC is in close contact with key humanitarian partners to assess needs, should the Government of Morocco welcome assistance. These partners include the UN, Red Cross and NGOs.鈥�
The Moroccan community in Canada is already pulling together aid efforts. Lazrak said that they鈥檝e begun to raise money to help those who were affected by the earthquake, and have seen a lot of interest.
鈥淲e also being approached by so many organizations from all over Canada to help fundraise for us,鈥� she said.
Similar fundraising where the city鈥檚 Muslim community is gathering funds through the Windsor Islamic Association. They鈥檝e already raised $13,000.
With files from CTV National News鈥� Melanie Nagy, The Canadian Press
