Moroccan authorities have evacuated more than 50,000 people from the north-western city of Ksar el-Kebir after weeks of heavy rainfall triggered severe flooding, state media reported on Monday.
Rising water levels in the Loukkos River inundated several neighbourhoods, prompting authorities to bar entry into the city and allow only outbound movement. Shelters and temporary camps were established for displaced residents, while electricity was cut in parts of Ksar el-Kebir and schools were ordered to remain closed until Saturday.
Officials said the flooding was partly caused by water released from the nearby Oued Makhazine dam after it reached full capacity. Ksar el-Kebir is located about 190 kilometres north of the capital, Rabat.
Ajttou said he relocated his family to Tangier last week before returning to volunteer in relief efforts. “The question that worries us is what comes next. The dam is full and we don’t know how long this situation will last,” he said.
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The army has deployed rescue units, trucks, equipment and medical personnel to support evacuation and emergency operations, while buses were used to transport residents out of the city. State television channel Al Oula showed a helicopter rescuing four people trapped by floodwaters in Oued Ouargha, in the nearby province of Ouezzane.
Further south, rising levels of the Sebou River forced authorities to evacuate villagers in Sidi Kacem and reinforce riverbanks with sandbags and protective barriers.
The prolonged rainfall has effectively ended a seven-year drought that had pushed Morocco to invest heavily in desalination projects. Official data show the national dam-filling rate is now close to 62 per cent, with several major reservoirs at full capacity.
