Survivors of Morocco’s deadliest earthquake in more than 60 years have struggled to find food, water and shelter as a desperate search for the missing continues in remote villages.

The disaster killed more than 2,100 people, a number that is expected to rise. The United Nations estimated that 300,000 people were affected by Friday night’s magnitude 6.8 quake.

Those left homeless or fearing more aftershocks slept outside on the streets of Marrakesh or under makeshift canopies in hard-hit Atlas Mountain towns like Moulay Brahim.

Both there and in Amizmiz, residents worried most about the damage in hard-to-reach communities. The worst destruction was in rural areas served only by unpaved roads that snake up the mountainous terrain and are now covered by fallen rocks.

The epicentre of the quake was near the town of Ighil in Al Haouz province, about 70km (44 miles) south of Marrakesh. The region is known for scenic villages and valleys tucked in the High Atlas Mountains.