Deadly Quake in Morocco

More than 2,100 people were killed after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck the North African country of Morocco early Saturday, with officials warning the death toll would likely rise as rescue teams searched through a number of mountain villages. The tremors were felt as far north as Portugal.

The quake struck in the High Atlas mountain range, roughly 50 miles south of the city of Marrakesh, with tremors felt throughout the western half of the country (see maps). While intense quakes are rare in the region—it is believed to be the strongest in the region in 120 years—the country sits just south of the boundary between the Eurasian and African tectonic plates.

A number of historic buildings were damaged, including a 12th-century mosque built during the Berber period in North Africa. Officials said many of the mud-and-brick buildings in villages were susceptible to damage, with the quake striking at 11 pm local time when many families were at home.

See photos of the aftermath here.