Large 'meteor' strikes remote Morocco desert, sparking hunt for valuable space rock remains

A meteor has struck Morocco's southwestern desert region, lighting up the night sky and creating a loud explosion, news website Alyaoum24 reported.

The local media outlet said that the space rock smashed into the earth near the remote town of Akka in Tata Province early on Saturday, causing panic among locals.

"A large fireball ripped through the Akka's sky, making a massive explosion that was heard from tens of miles away and terrifying all who saw the incident," the report said, citing eyewitnesses.

The report added that meteorite hunters and scientific researchers are expected to immedaly descend on the region to locate any remains of the blast.

The Moroccan desert is one of the world's top locations for finding extraterrestrial rock fragments because of the dry conditions.

The rich meteor hunting grounds have led to local celestial treasure hunters flocking to the region on the lookout for meteorites to sell on a burgeoning international market.

According to the report, a high-quality meteorite weighing one gram can sometimes sell for as high as 10,000 dirhams ($1,050).