As the search for survivors continues, the death toll in last week’s 6.8 magnitude earthquake that struck the North African country Morocco has risen above 2,000.

According to The New York Times, three extents of damage and number of casualties cannot be ascertained yet as the hardest-hit communities in the High Atlas Mountains are yet to be searched.

Latest state media reports said an estimated 2,122 people have been killed while more than 2,421 others were injured in the earthquake, the worst in the country’s history in more than 100 years. Footage showed helicopters airlifting aid to the most remote and vulnerable areas of hard-hit Marrakesh.

The Times, with reporters on the ground, reported that roads leading to the most affected areas were blocked by debris, and phone service and electricity had been knocked down as of Sunday evening.

As per the United States Geological Survey, another 3.9 magnitude earthquake occurred on Sunday – the new quake was an aftershock, forcing people to set up camps outside due to the fear of aftershocks.

Sometimes, the aftershocks can be as strong as the original quake. An example was the one which occurred in Turkiye earlier this year, resulting in more than 59,000 deaths. 

The Spanish government has promised to send search and rescue teams to Morocco to help supplement the efforts of local personnel.

The United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that more than 300,000 civilians in hardest-hit areas had been affected.

“Many families are trapped under the rubble of their homes, and damage to parts of Marrakesh’s Medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, have also been reported,” the agency said.