Local people stay outside a square folowing a 6.8 magnitude earthquake near Marrakech city, killing more than 2,000. (Photo: AFP)

Vietnamese Ambassador to Morocco Dang Thi Thu Ha said that there are currently four delegations of Vietnamese officials working in the city of Marrakesh, near the epicenter of the earthquake, along with some Vietnamese citizens traveling and working in Morocco.

There have been no reports of Vietnamese citizens injured or killed by the earthquake, but some people were forced to leave the hotel due to cracked walls, added the ambassador.

According to the diplomat, the Embassy’s delegation on September 9 arrived in Marrakesh city to carry out citizen protection work. The Embassy has contacted the Vietnamese community in Morocco, and maintained contact with local authorities to deploy a citizen protection plan in case of emergency.

Morocco said 2,012 people have been killed and 2,059 injured, including 1,404 in critical condition. The US Geological Survey said the quake had a magnitude of 6.8 with an epicentre some 72 km southwest of Marrakech.

This is the deadliest earthquake recorded in Morocco in the past six decades.