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A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.8 has struck central Morocco, killing at least 632 people, the country's interior ministry says.

The epicentre was in the High Atlas Mountains, 71km (44 miles) south-west of Marrakesh, at a depth of 18.5km, the US Geological Survey said.

The quake struck at 23:11 local time (22:11 GMT) on Friday. There was a 4.9 aftershock 19 minutes later.

People died in Marrakesh and several areas to the south, the ministry said.

Many of the victims are believed to be in remote areas.

Journalist Aida Alami, who grew up in Marrakesh, describes the panic her parents and friends experienced when they first felt the earthquake.

Photo: View of debris in the aftermath of an earthquake in Marrakech, Morocco
Credit: REUTERS