At least 564 people have been killed and more than 300 others were injured in northern Morocco on Tuesday, Health Minister Mohamed Cheikh Biadillah said on Tuesday.

"The death toll has risen to 564," Biadillah told state television 2M.

The quake, estimated at 6.1 on the Richter scale, toppled mud-brick homes and buried residents in their sleep under tons of rubble.

Hundreds of people were reported injured in and around the Mediterranean port city of Al Hoceima in the earthquake, which was felt as far away as parts of southern Spain.

Rescue teams have rushed to the devastated area to search for survivors and there were fears that the toll could rise as rescue workers scrambled to reach some of the more inaccessible villages in the region.

(Xinhua News Agency February 26, 2004)