Floods triggered by torrential rains have killed at least 37 people in the Moroccan coastal city of Safi, the Interior Ministry said Monday.
Authorities said heavy rain and flash floods overnight inundated about 70 homes and businesses and swept away 10 vehicles. The Interior Ministry reported 14 people hospitalized.
Local outlets reported that schools announced three days of closures. Rains also caused flooding and damage elsewhere throughout Morocco, including the northern city of Tetouan and the mountain town of Tincher.
Safi, a city on Morocco’s Atlantic coast about 320 km [200 miles] from Rabat, is a key hub for fishing and mining, employing thousands. With over 300,000 residents, it also hosts a major phosphate processing plant.
Videos shared on social media showed cars stranded and partially submerged as floodwaters surged through Safi’s streets.
Climate change has made Morocco’s weather more unpredictable. Years of drought have hardened soils, leaving mountains, deserts, and plains vulnerable to floods. Last year, floods in usually dry areas killed nearly two dozen people in Morocco and Algeria.
This week’s floods follow a two-building collapse in Fez that killed 22 people. While Morocco invests in disaster risk management, weak enforcement of building codes and poor drainage in some cities remain issues—inequities highlighted in youth-led protests earlier this year.
Source: Al-Ahed English News
