Czech rescue team waiting for official request from Morocco

The departure of the Czech urban search and rescue team to earthquake-hit Morocco has been delayed. The Czech Fire and Rescue Service is still waiting to receive an official request from the Moroccan authorities.

According to the spokeswoman of the Czech national fire service, Martina Götzová, the Moroccan prefecture hit by the earthquake has expressed interest in deploying the Czech USAR team. Without an official note, however, it is not possible to send a foreign team to the country.

The powerful earthquake, which on Friday struck in the High Atlas Mountains, some 70 kilometres south-west of Marrakesh, killed over 2,000 people and left over 2,000 others injured. It is said to be the strongest in a century in the country.