The death toll from a powerful earthquake in Morocco has soared to over 21-hundred.

According to the Moroccan newspaper Le Matin, as of 4 p.m. on Sunday, at least two-thousand-122 were reported dead, and two-thousand-421 were injured after the near seven-magnitude quake hit Marrakesh and several towns on Friday night.

Many of the fatalities occurred in remote locations south of Marrakesh. Al-Haouz, the epicenter of the quake, was hit hardest, with one-thousand-352 reported deaths. 

The interior ministry said the casualty count is likely to increase due to a large number of patients remaining in critical condition, and ongoing search and rescue operations.

Moroccan authorities have mobilized armed forces in efforts to find survivors within the crucial 72-hour period following the earthquake.

Caroline Holt, the global director of operations for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said that the next 24 to 48 hours will be critical for rescuing survivors.