The death toll from severe flooding that hit 17 provinces in Morocco rose to eleven on Sunday, with nine individuals still missing, Rachid El Khalfi, Ministry of Interior spokesperson, stated in a press briefing.
Tata and Tiznit, located in the south recorded seven and two deaths, respectively. Errachidia, located in the east registered two deaths, including one foreign national, El Khalfi reported.
The recent precipitation reached 250 mm in Tata, 203 mm in Tinghir, 114 mm in Figuig, and 82 mm in Ouarzazate, approximately half of the region’s annual average.
The inclement weather conditions have resulted in the collapse of 40 homes, with 24 destroyed.
Roads and utility networks have sustained significant damage, with 93 road sections impacted. Of these, 53 have been restored to partial or full functionality. Local authorities, including police, firefighters, Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces, and others, are actively working to facilitate the restoration of essential services and rescue operations.
The flooding also led to severe damage to critical infrastructure, along with disruption to essential services such as water, electricity, and telecommunications, according to El Khalfi, who assured that “the relevant authorities are working to address these outages.”
Media outlet Le360, which was present at the scene, interviewed witnesses who described the flooding as “an unprecedented catastrophe.” They reported that the water level reached approximately 20 meters, destroying multiple residences.
Residents, particularly senior citizens stated that “they had never witnessed such severe flooding.”
The sudden intensity of the torrent exceeded the capacity of local infrastructure and reached the village cemetery, which now presents a further challenge to bury deceased people, le 360 reported.
The Ministry of Interior urges all residents and tourists to exercise caution and adhere to the instructions of local authorities to minimize risk and ensure their safety, the official concluded.