Tens of thousands evacuated in northern Morocco amid heavy rainfall

More than 50,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in northern Morocco after days of heavy rainfall triggered severe flooding in several areas, officials say, forcing authorities to move residents to safety and impose urgent measures to protect communities.

The hardest-hit area was Ksar El Kebir, a town about 190 kilometres north of Rabat, where rising waters from the Loukkos River spread across neighbourhoods and cut off access as floodwaters surged. The Moroccan interior ministry said residents were either taken in by relatives or housed in temporary shelters set up by local authorities to keep them safe.

The government also deployed the Moroccan army to support rescue and relief efforts throughout the region on the orders of King Mohammed VI as emergency services worked to assist displaced families and prevent further danger.

In response to the flooding, entry into Ksar El Kebir was banned by authorities, with parts of the town experiencing power cuts and schools ordered to remain closed until at least Saturday to safeguard students and residents.

Officials noted that the flooding was partly caused by the controlled release of water from a nearby dam that had reached full capacity, contributing to the sudden rise in water levels across low-lying areas.

The heavy rainfall has brought an end to the country’s seven-year drought a period that had driven Morocco to invest heavily in desalination plants, but it has also caused widespread disruption and displacement.

Morocco’s national meteorology service has warned that heavy rains, strong winds and even snowfall above 1,500 meters are expected to continue in the region through Wednesday, keeping the threat of further flooding and hazardous conditions high.