Morocco quake: Your experiences

The death toll in the powerful earthquake that shook rural areas around the Moroccan city of Al Hoceima on Tuesday has now risen to 564.

A rescue operation involving the army and the Red Crescent is under way, but they have had difficulty reaching remote mountain villages.

Meanwhile thousands of survivors have spent the night in the open, fearing more tremors.

France is flying out rescue workers with sniffer dogs and lifting equipment and the United Nations and the international Red Cross have teams on standby.

Have you been affected by the earthquake? What action should the international community take? Send us your experiences.

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This debate is now closed. Read your comments below.

Your comments:

Obviously, nobody in the government took the 1994 earthquake seriously to prevent the worse and the catastrophe that happened today Makki, Toronto, Canada

I am originally from Imzouren the most touched town by earthquake, I grew up there and my family lives there and I thank Allah they are all ok. I feel embarrassed by the Moroccan media coverage of the catastrophe, while everyone in the word was talking about it, Moroccan online newspapers and radio are silent. Obviously, nobody in the government took the 1994 earthquake seriously to prevent the worse and the catastrophe that happened today! My thoughts go to all the families who lost lives in this tragedy.
Makki, Toronto, Canada

I would like to report that I live just on a hilltop overlooking the busy Industrial port city of Algeciras in southern Spain. I was awoken by the sound of dog barking in the streets until the barking would not stop, which made me wake up to investigate. When I was outside, the electricity posts were jolting, not much but enough to let me know something wasn't right and a lot of extra noise and sound from the city of Algeciras below with the Moroccan ferry companies reporting that there was no service. I awoke next morning to find it was an earthquake but now shocked to see it was felt more across the strait of Gibraltar.
Fernando Hidalgo, Los Barrios/Algeciras, Andalusia, Espana

I spoke to my parents who live in Fez; my father was awake at around 2:30 and he felt the tremor, and so did all the neighbours. Lots of them got scared and went outside. Thanks God every one is safe. If this thing happened in a big city like Fez with a very old medina and homes built in a hurry, it would be a huge disaster.
Mohammed, Ottawa, Canada

I'm Moroccan and a few people felt the earthquake in my town, everybody here is scared. Some neighbours got worry about their relatives since they cannot contact them, all the people here are frightened because they heard on the TV the quake will be back, I hope that we will get through this trying time as quickly as possible.
Noureddine, Azrou, Morocco

I wish good luck to all the Moroccans that were in the region of Al Hoceima, and I hope the Moroccan authorities will act immediately and not show the same reluctance they have shown in previous cases. Morocco is certainly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to and its people are extremely nice and hospitable. I hope things go for the best from now on...
Chafs, Dubai, UAE

This is an embarrassment to the Moroccan authorities, this has happened before in 1994 Bartolo, Baghdad/Iraq

I am originally from Al Hoceima, my family still lives there and I thank to GOD they are all ok. This is an embarrassment to the Moroccan authorities, this has happened before in 1994, they did nothing to help the people then and now people spent all night in the streets. Aid could not get there in time, because this region is marginalized and ignored. This is an shame for the Moroccan government. br />Bartolo, Baghdad/Iraq

I woke up to very noticeable but not violent tremors; as I was sleeping in a centuries-old hotel in the ancient medina in Fez, I definitely worried for a moment that the building would come down; fortunately there was very little damage in Fez. The earthquake was the talk of the town, though, this morning.
Mark Sward, Fez, Morocco

We have our fair share of earthquakes here in Hawaii, so I know first hand the devastation associated with these natural tremors. I will pray for those who have lost their lives and for their family members, and all the people of Morocco.
Gil, Hawaii, USA

Though I do not live in Morocco, I have experienced earth quakes and they are one of the most frightening of Mother Nature's occurrences. It is clear that many parts of the world's structures are not retro fitted for event of massive tremors. I am deeply sorry for the Moroccan people, and anyone else (Iran for example) who suffer such losses due to earth quakes.
Margaret, Portland, USA

My relatives have spent the night on the streets without any help of local authorities because the region is remote Adil, The Hague

I'm Moroccan studying here in Netherlands. I was shocked when I heard the news on BBC radio this morning and I couldn't believe it. I have some relatives in the region, I called them and they told me that the earthquake was so strong that their village was completely destroyed, my relatives have spent the night on the streets without any help of local authorities because the region is remote, mountainous, so it was difficult to reach the region.
Adil, The Hague

Last night my wife and I were woken up by the ornaments rattling in our bedroom and also the bed was wobbling slightly. We thought that the cats were playing around but the rattling continued for a few minutes and there were no animals in the room. I thought that it was a bit spooky until I read the news on you web site just now
Steve Lewis, Benalmadena, Spain

The earthquake in Morocco coincided with a less severe quake in Burundi, which started at 4:30 am on Tuesday, February 24. It would be interesting to follow-up if the two events are related.
Michele Bradford, Bujumbura, Burundi

I could feel the building vibrating and the shutters rattling at the windows Susan Paulding, Orgiva, Andalucia, Spain

I live in a block of flats and was awoken by the tremor at 3.30am. I could feel the building vibrating and the shutters rattling at the windows. No one else I have spoken to felt it, maybe because they live in single storey houses.
Susan Paulding, Orgiva, Andalucia, Spain

We certainly felt it here, it woke me up thankfully my building is concrete with foundations set in rock, and some way away but it moved.
Jim Watt, Gibraltar

I was woken at 3.30 am when my bed started to shake and all the pictures on the wall rattled. I don't know how long it lasted but it seemed to go on for ages. I got out of bed and it seemed as though the whole building was moving.
I have been in as many as seven earth tremors when I lived in Los Angeles in 1988 but they were nothing compared to this one. It must have been terrifying in Morocco as I was scared this far away from the epicentre.
Paul Scotton, San Pedro de Alcantara, Andalucia, Spain

Parts of Eastern France and Switzerland were plunged into darkness yesterday at 1730 GMT after a minor seism. It measured 5 on the Richter Scale according to local news. It seems likely that this and the Morocco quake might be linked in the way the tectonic plates are moving.
Tariq Arafa, Geneva, Switzerland