Moroccan nightmare strikes the Scorpions

Gambia coach Tom Saintfiet thought a plane crashed into his hotel after experiencing the powerful earthquake that struck Morocco on Friday. Saintfiet and his team were in Marrakesh for an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo and shared the unspokable fear as the natural catastrophy gripped Morocco.

The earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.8, led to panic as people rushed into the streets in Marrakesh and other cities. The quake resulted in a tragic loss of life, with the country's interior ministry reporting over 820 fatalities. Saintfiet described the ordeal as "shocking and terrible."

"At first I heard a lot of noise and thought it was someone knocking on my door. A few seconds later I thought that a plane had crashed into the hotel because we're close to the airport but a second or two later, I knew it was an earthquake. It seems it was only 30 seconds but it felt endless. It was really scary. The walls were really shaking and things were falling down from the ceiling and the walls. I never in my life saw a building moving like that."

Ironically, the match scheduled for Sunday was relocated to the Moroccan city of Marrakech because The Gambia's stadium was considered unsuitable to host international matches.

Many of the earthquake's victims are believed to have been in remote areas, and fatalities have been reported in various provinces and municipalities, including Marrakesh, al-Haouz, Ouarzazate, Azilal, Chichaoua, and Taroudant. There are concerns that people may be trapped in the affected regions, including a family reportedly trapped under the rubble of their house in the town of Al-Haouz, near the earthquake's epicenter. The situation is dire, and rescue efforts are underway to assist those in need.

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There also also reports of people under rubble in Marrakesh, and Saintfiet said the experience was chilling.

"When it stopped, I started running and checking if my team members were also out of their rooms. Then we ran outside the hotel and all went to the pool area and slept there in the open air with the other guests as we were told that we couldn't return to our rooms. It was very scary. We heard ambulances all night and kept checking the news. It's a terrible experience for us but most of all for all the casualties who lost their lives and the people of Morocco."