Rescue operations continue in Morocco after a powerful earthquake hit the northern African country on Friday. But aid workers are in trouble as food and relief supplies are falling short of the amounts needed.

The US Geological Survey said the magnitude 6.8 quake struck Al Haouz Province, about 70 kilometers southwest of the central city of Marrakech.

The country's interior ministry announced that 2,122 people had been killed and 2,421 injured in the quake.

In the village of Ouirgane in Al Haouz Province with more than 450 households, most houses have either collapsed or are seriously damaged. Desperate rescue operations were underway on Sunday afternoon.

Firefighters and other rescue workers were forced to remove rubble from damaged houses with their hands as no heavy machines were available.

Local authorities said more than 50 people had been killed in the village.

A man said he was rescued by his neighbors three hours after his house had collapsed. He said five of his relatives had been killed in the quake.

The man said he had no clothes to change. He added that he wanted to rescue people who are still trapped under rubble in cooperation with his neighbors.

Relief goods have been delivered in a square in another village called Asni, about 25 minutes away by car from Ouirgane.

Officials of the Morocco government were distributing tents to those affected by the disaster.

Temperatures drop in the morning and at night in the area, which is located at the foot of a mountain range.

A man was taking shelter in a tent in the square with nine other relatives. He said they have nothing in the tent and need blankets as it is cold at night.