Khaberni - Moroccan authorities continued on Saturday to evacuate residents of 4 provinces that have been struck by floods and torrential rains for the 11th consecutive day, amid ongoing heavy rainfall and an expanding area of affected villages.
Since January 28th, the provinces of Larache, Kenitra, Sidi Kacem, and Sidi Slimane have witnessed floods in several cities, particularly in Ksar el-Kebir, due to rising levels of the Loukkos River, following the spillover from the Al-Makhazine Dam, reaching 156% of its capacity for the first time, causing flooding, according to official data.
Calls for Help
Moroccan army units were forced to intervene last night after receiving calls for help from citizens in the outskirts of Chefchaouen and Kenitra, amidst challenges faced by rescue teams due to mountainous terrain and difficult paths, and the increasing number of villages that have been submerged.
Authorities face challenges in transporting livestock belonging to farmers, as water has submerged large areas of agricultural land in the Kenitra province and Sidi Allal Tazi.
In the city of Ksar el-Kebir, after evacuating the residents, authorities worked on providing food for stray animals remaining in the city, alongside rights initiatives to relocate some of them to safe areas, according to video clips circulated by activists on social media.
Aerial Food Delivery
Videotaped scenes showed aerial food aid deliveries to rural areas under the jurisdiction of the Al-Hawafat communal council in the Sidi Kacem province in northern Morocco, where the footage documented a helicopter dropping loads of food supplies at specific points including Douar Oulad Omran and Oulad Chellah.
The Ministry of the Interior announced on Thursday the evacuation of more than 154,000 people from the provinces of Larache, Kenitra, Sidi Kacem, and Sidi Slimane, due to floods caused by heavy rains experienced in northern regions over the past ten days.
On the same day, the government spokesman Mustapha Baitas said in a press conference that the floods affecting the four provinces had not recorded any fatalities.
Yesterday, Friday, the Interior urged Moroccans not to return to flood-affected areas, and confirmed in a statement that field data and meteorological forecasts indicate that the floods are not receding, with the potential for a worsening hydrological situation and increased risk levels.
The city of Safi, in western Morocco, experienced sudden floods in mid-December which claimed the lives of 37 people, the highest toll of its kind over the past decade.
