Morocco declares three days' national mourning after quake

Morocco declares three days of national mourning after deadly earthquake kills over 1,000 people. Flags at half-mast.

Morocco on Saturday declared three days of national mourning after a deadly earthquake overnight killed more than 1,000 people, an announcement from the royal palace said.

A woman reacts standing infront of her earthquake-damaged house in the old city in Marrakesh on September 9.(AFP)

"Three days of national mourning have been decided, with flags to fly at half-mast on all public buildings," said a statement published by the official MAP news agency after King Mohamed VI chaired a meeting to discuss the disaster.

The meeting was held after Friday night's earthquake, the deadliest to hit the North African country in decades, hit southwest of tourist hotspot Marrakesh, killing at least 1,037 people and injuring another 1,204, many of them critically.