The Moroccan authorities announced, on Monday, that the death toll from the floods in the city of Safi had risen to 21 people.
The city of Safi, located on the Moroccan Atlantic coast, witnessed a humanitarian catastrophe after sudden floods struck the city following strong rainfall, according to what local authorities reported on Sunday evening.
Official sources explained that the city, which is about 300 kilometers south of the capital, Rabat, was subjected to violent thunderstorms that led to torrential rains within a short period of time that did not exceed one hour, causing extensive human and material losses.
The floods caused significant damage to the infrastructure, as about 70 homes and shops in the Old City were submerged, and 10 cars were swept away, in addition to damaging parts of the public road, which led to a temporary paralysis of traffic.
Activists circulated video clips on social media showing muddy torrents sweeping the city’s streets, sweeping away vehicles and waste, while other scenes documented the intervention of civil protection personnel using boats to rescue residents, in addition to the partial drowning of a shrine.
The authorities confirmed that search operations are still continuing in case there are missing persons, while efforts continue to secure the affected areas and provide the necessary assistance to those affected.
In a related context, the General Directorate of Meteorology announced weather disturbances that included snowfall at heights exceeding 1,700 metres, and heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms in several regions of the Kingdom. It also renewed its warning of strong rains expected on Tuesday, which could range between 40 and 60 mm in a number of regions.
