Earthquake: Lionel Messi commiserates with Morocco as death toll surpases 2000

Former FC Barcelona and World Cup winner Lionel Messi joined other members of the international community to commiserate with the people of Morocco following a deadly earthquake that killed hundreds in the North African country.

“My condolences to all the families of the earthquake victims in Morocco,” the world champion footballer Messi wrote on Instagram.

“All the strength to the injured and the people who were affected by the terrible catastrophe,” the Argentine forward said.

Entire villages in mountain areas are reported to have been flattened.

While reacting to the tremor, the United Nations said it was ready to help the Moroccan government in “its efforts to assist the impacted population”, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

The AU, EU, US, Nigeria, Somalia and several other countries have offered their condolences to the people of Morocco while Spain, France and Israel have pledged to help the country in this trying time.

No fewer than 2,122 people were killed and 2,421 others injured when a magnitude-7 earthquake struck Morocco late Friday, according to the Moroccan Interior Ministry.

The quake was the strongest tremor to hit the North African country in the last century, according to Morocco’s National Geophysical Institute.