Morocco: an earthquake of magnitude 5.2 recorded in the north of the country

An earthquake of magnitude 5.2 struck the north of Morocco on the night of Monday, February 10, 2025, at 11:48 p.m. The National Institute of Geophysics (ING) said that the epicenter was located 15 kilometers from Ksar El Kebir, in the Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceïma region.

In a seismic alert bulletin, the ING indicated that the national surveillance and alert network recorded a telluric shock of 5.2 on the Richter scale, which occurred at a depth of 20 km. The earthquake was felt in several cities, notably Rabat, Chefchaouen, Larache, Tétouan, Casablanca, Kenitra, Fez and Meknès. Residents of certain localities, such as Sidi Kacem, went down to the streets for fear of replicas, according to local testimonies.

The president of the commune of Tatoft, competent of the province of Larache, told a local media that no victim or material damage had been reported. Initially, sites specialized in seismology had increased the magnitude of the earthquake to 4.1, with an epicenter located in the Tatoft area, between Ouazzane and Ksar El Kebir. This evaluation was then revised at 4.7, then to 5.1, before the official announcement of the ING.

Morocco is in a seismic activity area due to the collision between the African and Eurasian tectonic plates, making it vulnerable to earthquakes of different intensities. In addition, the authorities recommend that the population remain vigilant and follow the safety instructions in the event of aftershocks.