how often do earthquakes occur in morocco
Earthquakes do occur regularly in Morocco, but strong, destructive ones are relatively rare.
How often do earthquakes occur in Morocco?
Big picture
- Over the past decade, about 174 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or higher have occurred within roughly 300 km of Morocco, which is about 17 felt quakes per year – roughly one every three weeks.
- Overall seismic monitoring suggests around 1,100–1,600 earthquakes of all sizes per year in or near Morocco, most of them too small to be felt by people.
- Strong quakes (around magnitude 6 or more) are infrequent , on the order of once every few years rather than every year.
| Type of earthquake | Approx. frequency in/near Morocco | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| All detected quakes (very small to large) | ~1,100–1,600 per year (~3–4 per day) | [1][5]Most are too weak to feel, only detected by instruments. |
| Magnitude ≥ 3.0 | ~100+ per year | [1]Can sometimes be felt locally, usually cause no damage. |
| Magnitude ≥ 4.0 | ~17 per year (~one every 21 days) | [3]Generally felt by people near the epicenter. |
| Magnitude ≥ 6.0 | Roughly every 1–5 years | [7][1]Capable of damage; the 6.8 Marrakesh-Safi quake in 2023 is a recent example. |
Why Morocco gets earthquakes
- Northern Morocco lies close to the boundary between the African and Eurasian tectonic plates, near the Azores–Gibraltar fault and the Alboran Sea collision zone.
- This plate interaction concentrates more seismic activity in northern regions and offshore areas , while central and southern areas are quieter but can still host damaging quakes, as seen in the 2023 Marrakesh-Safi event.
Recent and historical context
- In recent years, Morocco has seen a mix of moderate quakes (around magnitude 4–5) and occasional stronger ones above magnitude 6.0, including the 6.8 earthquake on 8 September 2023 in the High Atlas region that caused severe damage and many casualties.
- Historically, deadly earthquakes such as Agadir 1960 and several large offshore events linked to the broader Portugal–Morocco–Spain region show that rare but very damaging earthquakes are part of Morocco’s long-term seismic story.
Key takeaway
If you live in or are visiting Morocco, it is normal for small quakes to be happening in the background all the time, but felt quakes of noticeable strength are occasional, and truly destructive events are rare, multi‑year occurrences.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.