5 months ago
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Flash-flooding caused by sudden, dense rainfall killed astatine slightest 21 radical successful the Moroccan coastal municipality of Safi connected Sunday (December 14, 2025), section authorities said.
Images connected societal media showed a torrent of muddy h2o sweeping cars and rubbish bins from the streets successful Safi, which sits astir 300 kilometres (186 miles) southbound of the superior Rabat.
At slightest 70 homes and businesses successful the historical aged metropolis were flooded, authorities said.
Another 32 radical were injured and taken to hospital, but astir of them person been discharged.
Damage to roads chopped disconnected postulation on respective routes to and from the larboard metropolis connected the Atlantic coast.
"It's a achromatic day," nonmigratory Hamza Chdouani told AFP.
By evening, the h2o level had receded, leaving radical to prime done a mud-sodden scenery to salvage belongings.
Another resident, Marouane Tamer, questioned wherefore authorities trucks had not been dispatched to pump retired the water.
As teams searched for different imaginable casualties, the upwind work forecast much dense rainfall connected Tuesday crossed the country.
Severe upwind and flooding are not uncommon successful Morocco, which is struggling with a terrible drought for the seventh consecutive year.
The General Directorate of Meteorology (DGM) said 2024 was Morocco's hottest twelvemonth connected record, portion registering an mean rainfall shortage of -24.7%.
Moroccan autumns are typically marked by a gradual driblet successful temperatures, but clime alteration has affected upwind patterns and made storms much aggravated due to the fact that a warmer ambiance holds much moisture and warmer seas tin turbocharge the systems.
