At least 36 people were killed in Morocco when a minaret¹ collapsed³ at a mosque⁴ in the central town of Meknes, officials say.

摩洛哥梅克内斯称中央的一座清真寺尖塔发生坍塌事故，造成至少36人死亡。

More than 60 people were injured in the accident at the Berdieyinne mosque in Meknes' old city during Friday prayers, according to Moroccan state television.

The TV report said that the collapse² came after heavy rains which lashed⁵（冲击，鞭打） the region for several days.

The minaret（尖塔） is said to have been four centuries old.

Many people are said to be buried under the rubble⁶（碎石，碎砖） of the collapsed tower.

A resident, Khaled Rahmouni, told Reuters news agency that about 300 worshippers（礼拜者） had gathered inside the mosque for Friday afternoon prayers.

"When the imam（伊玛目） was about to start his sermon（布道，启示） , the minaret fell down," he said.

Moroccan television added that the interior and religious affairs ministers had visited the site to supervise rescue operations.

The officials visited the injured, who had been taken to hospitals in Meknes and the nearby city of Fez.

Observers say that while neglected buildings in the old quarters（住处，营房） of Morocco's cities collapse fairly often, the fall of a minaret is rare.

King Mohammed VI ordered the minaret to be rebuilt.

Meknes is on Unesco's world heritage list.