The Spanish Red Cross rushed five rescue teams to the quake-hit northeastern Al Hoceima region on Morocco's mediterranean coast, along with 20 firefighters from southern Spain.

Elsewhere, a French civil protection plane with 15 rescue workers on board along with sniffer dogs and clearance equipment left Marseille in southern France early Wednesday.

"France... intends to show with this aid its full solidarity with Morocco and to stand at its side at this sad time," a French foreign ministry statement said.

A Belgian Hercules C-130, full of emergency aid, was also to set off for Morocco Wednesday.

The quake, which struck Al Hoceima before dawn on Tuesday, was measured at 6.3 on the Richter scale by French seismologists.

At least 564 people were killed and some 300 injured in the quake, leaving hospitals struggling to cope with the flood of casualties amid a desperate search through devastated villages for survivors.

Other European countries have also offered aid along with the United Nations and the Red Cross.

A first Spanish plane transporting rescue workers, medicine and blankets was due to arrive in Morocco early Wednesday in response to a request from the Moroccan authorities.

A second Hercules plane, packed with rescue equipment was also ready to take off for Rabat.

A Portuguese military cargo plane will take 22 rescue workers and six sniffer dogs along with emergency aid to quake-stricken northern Morocco on Wednesday, officials in Lisbon said.

Blankets, tents and electrical generators are among the emergency aid being sent in the C-130 transport plane which was scheduled to leave a military airport just outside Lisbon at 10:00 am (1000 GMT).

Italy sent one Hercules plane with around 30 rescue workers, with a second plane due to leave later in the morning. An Italian reconnaissance team landed in Morocco overnight.

The regional government of Flanders, in northern Belgium, said it would release 100,000 euros to help provide drinking water and tents to the quake victims.