Authorities announced on Tuesday that the aid program will support about 73,000 households in 28 provinces impacted by freezing conditions, heavy rainfall, and snowstorms.
By Asaye Bankole
Morocco has launched a nationwide emergency relief operation to assist families affected by severe winter weather, as communities across the country struggle with deadly floods and sharply falling temperatures.
Authorities announced on Tuesday that the aid program will support about 73,000 households in 28 provinces impacted by freezing conditions, heavy rainfall, and snowstorms.
Authorities are distributing food and blankets to families in the affected areas, as meteorological officials warn that hazardous conditions are expected to continue in the coming days.
The relief operation comes after a devastating flash flood struck the coastal city of Safi on Sunday, killing 37 people when sudden, heavy rainfall overwhelmed the city.
Around 70 homes and shops were damaged in just one hour of intense rain, with muddy floodwaters sweeping vehicles through the streets and trapping residents inside buildings.
Officials said 14 people were taken to hospital, including two who remain in intensive care. Schools across Safi have been closed for at least three days as roads remain blocked by mud and debris.
The flooding was most severe in the Bab Chabaa district, where water levels rose to about four metres (13 feet) in some areas. A 67-year-old rights activist said shopkeepers were trapped after locking themselves inside their stores as the floodwaters rose rapidly, leaving some merchants and workers unable to escape.
A mother of six told reporters that her family had “lost everything,” while another resident said she escaped her home with nothing but the clothes she was wearing.
Prosecutors have launched an investigation to determine whether infrastructure failures contributed to the scale of the tragedy. Although a government meteorologist said the rainfall was typical for the region, officials are assessing whether poor drainage systems may have worsened the flooding.
Weather authorities issued a red alert on Tuesday for snowfall of up to 80cm (31 inches) in the High Atlas Mountains, along with an orange alert for heavy rainfall across central and northern parts of the country.
In mountainous areas southeast of the capital, Rabat, snow depths have reached about 50cm (20 inches), with overnight temperatures falling below freezing.
The extreme weather follows seven consecutive years of drought that severely depleted many of Morocco’s major reservoirs. Last year was the hottest on record in the country, and climate scientists say rising temperatures are making storms across North Africa more intense and unpredictable.
The Safi disaster also occurred just days after 22 people were killed when two buildings collapsed in the historic city of Fes, renewing concerns about building standards and urban infrastructure in Morocco’s older neighbourhoods.
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