News Wrap: Rescuers search for survivors after deadly Morocco earthquake

William Brangham:

Good evening. I'm William Brangham. John Yang is away.

It has been more than 120 years since Moroccans have suffered an earthquake this strong. The 6.8 magnitude quake has killed more than 1,300 people and injured 1,800 others. According to Morocco's Interior Ministry, more than 1,200 of the injured are in critical condition. The damage was widespread from the Atlas Mountains to the ancient city of Marrakesh.

The quake hit just after 11:00 Friday night, sending people scrambling into the streets of Marrakesh, away from buildings as fast as their feet could carry them. The city is home to 800,000 people. Closer to the quake's epicenter, in the smaller towns and villages in the high Atlas Mountains southwest of Marrakesh, there were pleas for help.

Ayoub Toudite, Moulay Brahim Resident (through translator):

Houses collapsed on people. People are suffering here very much. We are in dire need of ambulances.

William Brangham:

Many spent the night outdoors, fearful of aftershocks and unstable buildings, many of which were not made to withstand tremors this strong. In the light of day, the scale of destruction became clearer, especially in those small towns nearest the epicenter, like Amsmead.

As stunned Moroccans took stock, rescuers would occasionally go silent, listening for any possible survivors in the wreckage. The process of identifying and burying the dead also continued.

Debris and rubble across many roadways made travel more difficult. Aid workers and others worked to move a massive boulder that shook loose during the quake and blocked a busy throughway. Medina of Marrakesh the original fortified part of the city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site sustained extensive damage.

Miloud Skrout, Marrakech Resident (through translator):

We were harmed in the old city. We were harmed by the earthquake. Everything is by God's will, but we sustained great harm.

William Brangham:

The ancient and famous 12th century Kotubia Mosque, known as the Rooftop of Marrakesh, was damaged in the quake. But how badly wasn't yet clear. In a sign of the immense scope of the disaster, King Mohammed VI ordered Moroccan armed forces to mobilize its air and land assets.

At the G20 Summit of the world's top economies today in New Delhi, India, there were two major announcements. The African Union will become a permanent member of the annual summit, and President Biden and his allies announced a massive new rail and shipping corridor that will link the Middle East and Europe to India.

It's part of a strong counter to China's global infrastructure initiative, known as One Belt, One Road, and a sign of the rising clout of the global south. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin notably did not attend the summit.

And a federal appeals court has ruled that the Biden administration likely overstepped First Amendment protections when it urged social media companies to remove misleading or false content about COVID-19 and other issues like election integrity.

The judges said it amounted to coercion. Conservative advocates hailed the ruling as a victory for free speech. The Biden administration has 10 days to seek a Supreme Court review of the ruling.

Still to come on PBS News Weekend, what Africa's first climate summit could mean for the continent's future. And a new report sheds light on the environmental and financial costs of invasive species.