Update: Over 1,000 dead after quake strikes near Marrakech, Morocco

The death toll has surpassed 1,000 from a powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Morocco

According to state TV. The toll makes it the deadliest quake to hit the North African country in decades.

• Rescue teams are reportedly struggling to reach the most affected areas, with roads blocked by debris. One witness said "we are hoping for miracles from the rubble."
• The epicenter was in the High Atlas mountains, about 72 kilometers (45 miles) southwest of Marrakech, a popular tourist city of about 840,000 people. The city's historic walls, first laid out in the early 12th century, have been damaged.
• The quake was the most powerful to shake the area surrounding Marrakech in more than 120 years, according to the US Geological Survey. CNN