Exceptional flooding has prompted the evacuation of more than 100,000 people across north-western Morocco, as authorities respond to unusually heavy rainfall and rising water levels, the Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.
According to the ministry’s official spokesperson, a gradual evacuation plan was implemented to protect residents in vulnerable areas. As of Wednesday morning, a total of 108,423 people had been relocated from multiple communities as a precautionary measure against further flooding.
Helicopters have been deployed to assist rescue operations, as floodwaters inundated farmland and villages throughout the region. The Moroccan army has been on the ground since Friday to support evacuation efforts, amid warnings of additional heavy rainfall expected later this week.
North-western Morocco is a key wheat-producing region, characterised by low-lying plains with poor natural drainage. Weeks of sustained rainfall, combined with limited slopes, have significantly increased the risk of water accumulation and large-scale flooding.
Official data show that rainfall levels across Morocco have risen by 215 per cent compared with the same period last year and are 54 per cent above the long-term historical average, underscoring the severity of the current weather conditions.
The Interior Ministry has ordered residents in parts of Larache Province to evacuate, including areas of Ksar El Kebir, Souaken, Oulad Ouchih, the Larache industrial zone, and communities near the mouth of the Loukkos River.
The move was described as a preventive step to reduce the risk of casualties and property damage.
Most evacuations have taken place in Ksar El Kebir, where authorities said around 85 per cent of residents have already left their homes. Emergency services remain on high alert as the region braces for the possibility of further flooding.
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