President Paul Kagame on Saturday, September 9, joined world leaders in expressing condolences and support for Morocco after a devastating earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck the country killing more than 1,300 people and injuring more than 1,200 others.

The deadly earthquake caused widespread damage in and around the city of Marrakesh. It is unclear how many people are trapped in the rubble.

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Many victims are believed to be in hard-to-reach mountain areas. The epicentre was in the High Atlas Mountains, 71 kilometres south-west of Marrakesh.

An official at the Rwandan embassy in Rabat told The New Times that all Rwandans in the country are safe.

In a post on X, Kagame said: "On behalf of all Rwandans, I express our deepest sympathy and solidarity with King Mohammed VI, the families of the victims and the people of Morocco in this moment of profound tragedy.

"Rwanda stands with Morocco in this difficult time."

Morocco will observe three days of mourning following the deadly earthquake, the Royal Palace announced. National flags will be flown at half-mast.

Leading world bodies have expressed condolences and offered their support for Morocco.

The secretary-general of the Jeddah-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Hissein Brahim Taha, prayed for "mercy on the victims and a speedy recovery for the injured”.

World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the quake as "heartbreaking”, adding, "We stand ready to support the immediate health needs.”

UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said he was "deeply saddened” by news of the quake, saying, "Our thoughts are with the thousands of families affected. We stand ready to support.”