Morocco earthquake: Is it safe to travel to Marrakech? | World News

Residents of Marrakech – the closest big city to the epicentre – said some buildings had collapsed in the old city, a UNESCO World Heritage site, while Moroccan TV showed pictures of a fallen mosque minaret with rubble lying on smashed cars.

Morocco’s geophysical centre said the quake struck in the Ighil area of the High Atlas with a magnitude of 7.2 – with the US Geological Survey putting its magnitude at 6.8.

The quake is the deadliest in the country since a 2004 tremor in Al Hoceima in the northern Rif mountains, which killed over 600 people.

Marrakech is of course a popular destination for tourists and other visitors – but in the wake of the tragedy, is it safe to visit?

Is it safe to visit Marrakech?

At the present time the Foreign Office has not advised against travel to Morocco or Marrakech.

The advice on their website reads: ‘On Friday September 8 an earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck Morocco near Marrakesh.’

‘You should follow local media and safety instructions from local authorities.’

According to reports Marrakech Airport remains open and flights are continuing to take off and land as normal.

A number of flights from airlines including British Airways from Heathrow, easyJet from Gatwick, WizzAir from Gatwick and Ryanair from Manchester and Stansted are currently set to operate as normal.

However, as the situation is continually evolving, anyone who does have a trip to Morocco booked in the coming days should keep an eye on developments and contact their airline to confirm the flight is still going ahead.

‘Customers scheduled to travel to or from Morocco who wish to discuss their booking should contact our customer service team.’

Can I fly home if I’m already in Marrakech?

There are currently no plans to repatriate British citizens who are already in Marrakech.

Once again you should follow the Foreign Office advice to keep an eye on local media and follow safety instructions.

If you do decide to leave earlier than planned, you should contact your airline to discuss this, as seats on earlier flights may still be available.

However, as current advice has not been to leave the country or not travel, it’s not clear whether you would be offered a refund in this instance, or be able to claim on your travel insurance.

Once again, you should contact them to find out what your options might be.