Floods of rare violence hit the coastal town of Safi, in Morocco, following torrential rains concentrated in a very short period of time. The flash floods surprised residents, causing a heavy human toll and significant material damage. Local authorities have launched emergency relief operations to help the victims and secure the affected areas.
Torrential rains and a sudden rise in water levels
According to local authorities, exceptional rainfall fell on Safi in less than an hour, causing water to suddenly rise in several urban neighborhoods. Streets turned into torrents, sweeping away vehicles and pedestrians, while homes and businesses were invaded by the floods, particularly in densely populated areas close to wadis.
Civil protection services report at least 21 deaths, a toll that is still provisional, as well as dozens of injured treated by hospitals in the region. Entire families were surprised in their homes, with some people trapped in their vehicles or in premises below.
Mobilization of relief and emergency measures
Civil protection teams, supported by security forces and municipal authorities, were deployed throughout the night to search for possible victims, evacuate residents from risk areas and restore traffic on the cut roads. Several schools and public infrastructure suffered damage, while electricity and water were temporarily interrupted in certain neighborhoods.
Authorities have called on citizens to be vigilant as weather forecasts indicate a continued risk of further rainfall in the region.
These floods occur in a context marked by increasingly frequent climatic extremes in Morocco, alternating between prolonged drought and episodes of intense rain.
Specialists warn of the increased vulnerability of urban areas to flash floods, calling for a strengthening of prevention, planning and early warning systems to limit the impact of such phenomena in the future.
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