DUBAI, September 11. /TASS/. The death toll from the magnitude 7 earthquake in Morocco has increased to 2,497, the kingdom's Interior Ministry said on its website.

According to the statement, at least 2,476 people were affected by the seismic activity. The highest number of casualties is recorded in the provinces of Al Haouz (1,452) and Taroudant (764). Emergency services continue searching for the dead and injured who are trapped under the rubble of buildings.

Moroccan authorities reported about 2,122 casualties and 2,420 injured a day earlier.

The earthquake in the kingdom occurred on September 8. According to the National Geophysical Institute of Morocco, the epicenter was in the district of Igil, located in the province of Al Haouz. The province is a part of the Marrakech-Safi region. The quake struck at a depth of 8 kilometers. The disaster damaged residential houses as well as several facilities of cultural and historical value, some of them are destroyed.

A three-day mourning has been declared in the country. According to Al Jazeera channel, an absentee memorial prayer for the victims was held in all mosques in Morocco on September 10.