Over 800 people have been confirmed dead after an earthquake struck western Morocco

The Department of Foreign Affairs is advising Irish Citizens in affected areas to follow safety instructions

Image via Unsplash

820 people have been confirmed dead after a powerful earthquake in western Morocco.

The epicentre was the High Atlas Mountains - but the quake was felt as far away as Spain and Portugal, as the quake hit a magnitude of 6.8.

The Department of Foreign Affairs is advising Irish Citizens in affected areas to follow safety instructions from local authorities, and monitor local media.

The US Embassy in Morocco is advising caution for the next 24 hours in case of aftershocks - with a tsunami warning for coastal areas.

Authorities suspect the death toll will rise further as more search operations get underway – particularly in Marrakesh, where many tourists likely were when the earthquake happened.