Flash Floods Wreak Havoc in Southern Morocco: Smara, Laayoune, and El Mahbes Submerged
Morocco’s Southern Regions Grapple with Devastating Flash Floods
Heavy rains and thunderstorms have unleashed chaos across southern Morocco, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Cities like Smara, Laayoune, and El Mahbes have been particularly hard hit, with alert-thunderstorms-wind-hail-august-2024/” title=”Weather Alert: Thunderstorms, Wind, and Hail Expected Across Morocco”>flash floods cutting off roads and damaging homes.
Images circulating online paint a stark picture of the devastation. Raging floodwaters course through streets, turning roads into rivers and swallowing vehicles whole. The force of the water has been strong enough to cause significant damage to infrastructure, with reports of collapsed bridges and damaged buildings.
In Smara, the situation took a turn for the worse when several homes in the Al Wahda camp partially collapsed. Thankfully, no casualties have been reported, but the incident highlights the vulnerability of certain structures, particularly those already weakened by age and weathering. Circulating images reveal that many of the collapsed homes had been showing signs of deterioration for some time, emphasizing the urgent need for improved infrastructure and disaster preparedness in the region.
The Moroccan National Meteorological Directorate (DMN) issued an orange-level alert, warning of heavy thunderstorms and strong winds across several southern provinces. Rainfall between 15 to 30 millimeters was predicted for regions including Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab, Aousserd, Laayoune, Boujdour, Smara, and Tarfaya. The alert, issued for Monday evening through Tuesday morning, served as a stark reminder of the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in the region.
This recent deluge comes as a stark reminder of the devastating power of flash floods and the importance of robust infrastructure and disaster preparedness. As climate change continues to impact weather patterns globally, events like these are likely to become more frequent and severe. It underscores the need for proactive measures to mitigate risks and protect vulnerable communities.
