morocco Flash Floods: Death Toll Reaches 21 in Safi Province
Safi, Morocco – A sudden and intense rainfall event triggered devastating flash floods in the coastal town of Safi, Morocco, on Sunday, resulting in the confirmed deaths of at least
What factors make Morocco especially vulnerable to flash floods?
Wikipedia Context
Flash floods are sudden, high‑velocity flows of water that occur when intense rainfall overwhelms the capacity of the ground and drainage systems. In the Mediterranean‑influenced climate of Morocco, especially along the Atlantic coast, the combination of steep terrain, occasional tropical‑type convective storms, and inadequate urban drainage creates ideal conditions for rapid runoff. When rain falls faster than the soil can infiltrate-often exceeding 150 mm in a few hours-water streams down valleys and gullies,converging into powerful torrents that can inundate towns within minutes.
Morocco has a long history of devastating flash‑flood events. The most catastrophic in recent memory was the October 2004 flood in the north‑eastern Rif region, where over 350 people lost their lives and the economic loss was estimated at several hundred million dollars. Since then, other notable incidents have occurred in various parts of the country: the April 2014 floods in the central Khemisset province (8 deaths), the November 2018 flash flood in Marrakech (8 deaths), and the February 2021 storm that hit the Tetouan area in the north (6 deaths). These events have highlighted the vulnerability of both rural and rapidly expanding urban zones to extreme precipitation.
Scientific assessments link the rising frequency of such extreme rainfalls to climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that the Mediterranean basin is projected to experience a 20‑30 % increase in the intensity of short‑duration, heavy‑rain events by the middle of the 21st century. In Morocco, the national meteorological service (Météo‑Maroc) has recorded a clear upward trend in 24‑hour rainfall totals for coastal provinces, including Safi, where the historic 50‑year return period for 180 mm of rain in three hours was recently surpassed.
In response, the Moroccan government has reinforced its disaster‑risk management framework. The Ministry of Interior oversees the Directorate of Civil Protection, which coordinates emergency rescue, evacuation, and relief
