At least 37 people were killed after flash floods struck Morocco’s coastal Safi region following hours of torrential rain that swept cars and debris through the port city, local authorities said Monday.
Dozens of people were treated in hospitals, and emergency services reported at least 70 homes flooded in the old city centre. Some roads into and out of Safi were blocked by water, mud and wreckage, hampering relief efforts and isolating neighbourhoods.
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“It is a dark day for the city,” residents told local media, urging the government for immediate assistance to clear streets and restore access to trapped neighbourhoods. Moroccan authorities said search-and-rescue operations were under way across the worst-hit areas.
- Fatalities: at least 37 confirmed
- Injured and treated: dozens in hospital
- Property damage: at least 70 homes flooded in the old city centre
- Transport: multiple roads blocked by debris and floodwater
Civil authorities gave no immediate breakdown of the dead by age or location. Emergency teams worked through the day to recover people and clear main arteries, while municipal services focused on restoring basic utilities and safe passage for ambulances.
Experts and meteorologists linked the sudden, severe flooding to broader climate trends. They pointed to Morocco’s prolonged drought, record heat recorded last year and mass shifts in precipitation patterns as factors that increase the intensity of flash floods when heavy rains arrive.
Forecasts for the coming days showed continued unsettled weather and warnings of heavy rain and snowfall across the Atlas Mountains, raising concerns about further runoff into coastal areas and the possibility of additional flooding downstream.
Local officials appealed for national support and mobilised military and civil-protection units to assist with evacuations, medical care and debris clearance. Humanitarian groups and municipal workers began setting up temporary shelters for displaced families and distributing emergency supplies.
The floods in Safi follow a pattern of extreme weather events in the region in recent years. While investigations into the immediate causes of the disaster continue, authorities said their priority was rescue, treatment of the injured and restoring access to cut-off neighbourhoods.
International agencies and neighbouring countries often respond to large-scale domestic disasters at Morocco’s request; there was no word yet on whether foreign aid has been requested or approved in this case.
More details are expected as search teams complete assessments and officials compile casualty and damage reports.
By Newsroom
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
