RABAT, September 9. /TASS/. Thousands of Moroccans across the country have been donating blood for those affected by a devastating earthquake that struck late in the evening of September 8. At local blood transfusion centers as well as hospitals in cities such as Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Marrakesh, and Aghadir, people have been queuing since early morning, the Maghreb Arabe Press news agency reports.

"It is crucial to collect the maximum number of donor blood bags to save lives and meet the growing demand from hospitals," health officials said.

Calls for donating blood for earthquake victims have been pouring in from non-governmental and civic activists. The collection of essentials, such as blankets and clothes, as well as food for the residents of the affected provinces of Morocco has been organized in major cities.

According to a statement from Morocco's National Geophysical Institute, the magnitude 7 earthquake struck at 11:11 p.m. local time on Friday. The center was in the district of Ighil, located in the province of Al Haouz, the Marrakesh-Safi region, at a depth of 8 kilometers.

The death toll from the earthquake has reached 1,037, with another 1,204 people injured, of whom 721 are in serious condition, the Interior Ministry said.

Deaths from earth tremors have been recorded in nine provinces and prefectures. The worst fatalities are in the provinces of Al Haouz (542), Taroudant (321) and Chichaoua (103).

There have been casualties in Aghadir, Azilal, Grand Casablanca, Marrakesh, Tinghir, Ouarzazate, Youssoufia and a number of other localities and districts.