The main tremor occurred at 11:11 p.m. local time, with the epicenter close to Ighil village (in Atlas Mountains), about 70 km southwest of Marrakech. This earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.8 (EMSC), was followed by an aftershock 20 minutes later, with a magnitude of 4.9. The effects were felt not only in Morocco but also in neighboring countries such as Portugal, Spain, Mali, and Algeria.

So far, the highest death toll has been recorded in the province of Al Haouz, with 1684 confirmed victims, closely followed by Taroudant, where 980 people lost their lives. In the city of Marrakech, 18 deaths have been confirmed. The devastation caused by the earthquake is impressive, with more than 56000 homes in 2930 locations in southern Morocco affected by the quake. The emergency response mobilized quickly but was slow to reach some mountainous areas that are difficult to access, as well as several regions close to Marrakech.

The international community has offered to assist Morocco and at least four countries - Spain, the United Kingdom, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates – sent aid teams to take part in the search and rescue operations for survivors.

Marrakech, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, suffered significant damage, including in the old city, where the iconic red walls were practically destroyed.

The torrential rains left more than 2,000 people homeless and caused several landslides, forcing many people to leave their homes, as there was a risk of houses collapsing, leaving several people trapped. The roads along the coast succumb and some cars were submerged. A state of calamity was declared in several cities in the region. A federal government "crisis office" was also created in the region, leaded by the Minister of Integration, Waldez Góes, who met with the mayors of twelve cities on the coast of São Paulo to analyze each situation in particular. Among the fatalities were a nine-year-old child and a nine-month-old baby in São Sebastião. A two-year-old child, who was buried in the Vila Sahy region, in the city of São Sebastião, one of the hardest hit by the storms, was rescued and transported to the hospital.

The rain had a strong impact on the water supply, as some treatment plants were affected by the runoff, which dragged logs, stones and a lot of mud. Technicians tried to restore service, and tanker trucks were made available to hospitals and worst-affected areas. The recommendation was for people to save water. The rainfall rate was among the highest ever recorded in the country in a short period and in a situation not resulting from a tropical cyclone.