A FLINTSHIRE woman caught up in the Moroccan earthquake has described her terrifying experience.
Lauren Jones, from Shotton, says she feels "lucky to be alive" after being caught up in the 6.8-magnitude earthquake near the tourist hotspot of Marrakesh.
Lauren, her mother, Sue, and her eight-year-old daughter, Daisy, had just checked into their hotel when the earthquake hit on Friday evening.
Lauren Jones, her mother, Sue and eight-year-old daughter, Daisy, were caught up in the earthquake. (Image: User generated content)
"I can only describe it as it was like walking on a water bed," the 35-year-old said.
"The floor was wobbling. My daughter gripped me and her nan and she was crying, petrified. My mum and I looked at each other wide-eyed but trying to keep it together to not scare my daughter further. No buildings fell down, but the walls inside the buildings are cracked and debris on the floor."
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She continued: "We didn’t know whether to run or stay still, obviously we’ve never experienced an earthquake.
"Then as the rumbling stopped, guests and staff started running around. There was crying and screaming."
The earthquake has left over 2,100 dead and thousands more injured.
"We feel lucky to be alive," Lauren said. "Everybody is checking on each other and making sure they’re ok. Talking with cleaners, bar staff and asking about their families.
"The guests here know we will go home and live a normal life whereas the Moroccan people must literally rebuild theirs. It's been a terrifying experience and we won’t forget it."
Lauren hopes to be able to catch a flight home soon.
"They gave very little notice of a flight on Saturday and people started rushing around to get their belongings to get to the airport," she said.
"It was another panic situation and I wasn’t going to put my daughter through that again."
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