An Irish doctor based in Morocco has spoken of the devastation in the country after a powerful earthquake killed nearly 2,500 people.
Rescuers are racing against time to find survivors in the rubble more than 48 hours after Morocco's deadliest earthquake in over six decades devastated villages in the High Atlas Mountains.
Dr Clare McCaughey, originally from Bangor in Co Down but who now lives in Marrakesh, said the city "got off lightly" compared to mountainous areas where people were "facing devastation" following the quake.
She told the Pat Kenny Show on Newstalk radio: "Up there you have got very, very poor quality housing. Not much more than mud brick. People have houses that just went straight down.
"I was talking to a friend up there right now and despite the best efforts on the ground he is saying now that he is not seeing a whole lot of wounded people. It is basically they died or they got out on time. Because it was that sudden everything shook and the houses came down."
Dr McCaughey said the aftershocks of the earthquake were still being felt in Marrakesh.
"There is still fear about that. People in the city not wanting to go back to their houses. Worried about the potential for aftershock and damage to their homes. That is generating still a lot of fear around."
She said the Moroccan authorities have worked very quickly to assist impacted persons and areas.
"There is a big military response and they have a big major incident protocol in place. No one has ever dealt with anything on this scale before of course and never expected to but that is kicking in.
"The military were right up there in the mountains within the first hour or two. It is very time sensitive because there are people who can still be found and helped and that needs to happen."
Tourism
Meanwhile, Clare Dunne, chief executive of the Irish Travel Agents Association, told Newstalk that most Irish people tend to visit Agadir rather than Marrakesh.
"As yet we have no reports of any Irish people being injured or caught up in it. I do have one of my own staff on holiday in Marrakesh and she is safe and well," she said.
"Obviously it is very subdued with the three days of mourning. For our own part we want to send our condolences to all of our colleagues and friends and partners in Morocco who are still working. Despite the devastation they are still looking after our clients. We very much appreciate that."
Ms Dunne said airports in Morocco remained open and flights were still operating to the country.
"I was talking to the managing director of Sunway this morning and he said they haven’t as yet had any request to change or cancel holidays.
"People who were due to go on Saturday went. Everything is operating as normal in the hotels and the resorts.”
