Morocco’s Most Lethal Flooding in 20 Years Claims Dozens of Lives
Flash flooding has tragically claimed the lives of at least 37 individuals in Safi, a city located on Morocco’s Atlantic coast. This incident marks the deadliest flooding event in the North African nation in over two decades.
As search and rescue operations continued on Monday, the state-run MAP news agency reported that heavy rains had struck parts of Safi the previous day. The historic center of Safi, which is densely populated, was particularly hard-hit by the floods, according to Khalil Sidki, a member of the local branch of the Moroccan human-rights advocacy group AMDH.
Safi, known for its artisan pottery and home to approximately 350,000 residents, is situated about 200 miles (320 kilometers) south of Morocco’s capital, Rabat. In response to the disaster, authorities have initiated a judicial investigation and temporarily closed schools and colleges for three days, as reported by MAP.
The recent floods come in the wake of successive droughts that have plagued the kingdom in recent years, leaving the soil unable to absorb sustained rainfall effectively. Over the weekend, various parts of Morocco experienced both rain and snow.
According to AMDH’s Sidki, who witnessed the devastation firsthand, a “lack of infrastructure and years of drought” significantly contributed to the severity of the flooding. The latest reports indicate that at least two individuals remain in intensive care, while others have been discharged after receiving medical treatment.
This flooding incident is the deadliest Morocco has faced since torrential rains in 2002, which inundated agricultural areas in the west of the country and resulted in 60 fatalities.
Copyright 2025 Bloomberg.
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Flash flooding has tragically claimed the lives of at least 37 individuals in Safi, a city located on Morocco’s Atlantic coast. This incident marks the deadliest flooding event in the North African nation in over two decades.
As search and rescue operations continued on Monday, the state-run MAP news agency reported that heavy rains had struck parts of Safi the previous day. The historic center of Safi, which is densely populated, was particularly hard-hit by the floods, according to Khalil Sidki, a member of the local branch of the Moroccan human-rights advocacy group AMDH.
Safi, known for its artisan pottery and home to approximately 350,000 residents, is situated about 200 miles (320 kilometers) south of Morocco’s capital, Rabat. In response to the disaster, authorities have initiated a judicial investigation and temporarily closed schools and colleges for three days, as reported by MAP.
The recent floods come in the wake of successive droughts that have plagued the kingdom in recent years, leaving the soil unable to absorb sustained rainfall effectively. Over the weekend, various parts of Morocco experienced both rain and snow.
According to AMDH’s Sidki, who witnessed the devastation firsthand, a “lack of infrastructure and years of drought” significantly contributed to the severity of the flooding. The latest reports indicate that at least two individuals remain in intensive care, while others have been discharged after receiving medical treatment.
This flooding incident is the deadliest Morocco has faced since torrential rains in 2002, which inundated agricultural areas in the west of the country and resulted in 60 fatalities.
Copyright 2025 Bloomberg.
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