Morocco | Torrential rains kill 50 people in the worst flooding in the country in the last decade

The city of Safi, located on the Atlantic coast south of Rabat, witnessed historic floods on Monday, described by residents as a "black day," which resulted in the death of 37 people, the highest death toll due to weather conditions in Morocco in the last decade.

Large amounts of rain fell on Safi within one hour

On Monday morning, the mountains of Safi were hit by severe thunderstorms and huge amounts of rain in just one hour, causing water to flow towards the low-lying areas in the form of raging torrents that swept away cars and debris, and flooded more than 70 houses and shops in the old city.

Widespread damage caused by the floods

The floods caused traffic jams on several streets, with some roads damaged and ten cars submerged. Residents expressed their deep sadness and questioned why water-pumping trucks had not arrived, as had been the case previously through the joint water and electricity authority between the region's municipalities.

Classes suspended in Safi on Monday

The regional directorate of the Ministry of National Education, Early Childhood Education, and Sports announced the suspension of classes for three days in all educational institutions in the region, in order to ensure the safety of students and staff, after two primary schools were flooded, though no casualties were reported. The local emergency response unit was also activated, and coordination with authorities is underway to address the aftermath of the floods.

Morocco between drought and floods

This disaster comes as Morocco is suffering from severe drought for the seventh year in a row, which makes the impact of floods on the population and infrastructure more severe, and reinforces the need to take preventive measures and prepare for extreme climate fluctuations.