Morocco residents return home as floodwaters recede

Residents in flood-hit northwestern Morocco are gradually returning to their homes as water levels fall and weather conditions improve, authorities said.

Moroccan officials, supported by the Royal Armed Forces, have been coordinating the safe return of residents to the city of Ksar El Kebir and nearby areas after weeks of severe flooding. Since early February, around 188,000 people were evacuated as rivers overflowed and floodwaters spread across approximately 110,000 hectares of land, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

Authorities said most residents of Ksar El Kebir, located about 213 kilometers north of Rabat, have now been allowed to return, except for those living in several high-risk neighborhoods where safety concerns remain.

To support displaced residents, the government has provided free train and bus transportation for people who had taken shelter with relatives, or stayed in emergency centers and temporary camps.

Morocco has also announced a major recovery and infrastructure plan worth 3 billion dirhams (about $330 million). The funding will be used to rebuild damaged infrastructure and provide support to affected residents, farmers, and business owners. The government has declared the hardest-hit municipalities disaster zones.

The flooding was linked to exceptional rainfall this winter. Officials said rainfall levels were 35% higher than the average recorded since the 1990s and roughly three times higher than last year.

Heavy inflows forced the Oued Makhazine dam to release excess water after it reached 160% of its capacity. The water release contributed to rising levels in the Loukkos River, which flooded Ksar El Kebir and surrounding agricultural plains.

The unusually heavy rainfall also significantly increased Morocco’s national dam reserves. The country’s dam-filling rate has risen to nearly 70%, compared with just 27% a year earlier. Several large dams were partially emptied to manage new inflows and reduce flood risks.

Officials noted that the heavy rains effectively ended a seven-year drought that had previously forced Morocco to increase investment in desalination projects to secure water supplies.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada