At least 8 killed, 15 missing after floods in southeastern Morocco

RABAT, Morocco

At least eight people were killed and 15 others went missing following floods in southeastern Morocco, local authorities said on Sunday.

“The bodies of eight people were recovered, while 15 others are still missing in the floods that caused the collapse of several homes in Tata city,” Omar Bahoush, the mayor of Tamanart region, told the local Channel 2.

The floods, which struck on Saturday evening, caused extensive damage in the area, according to local media.

On Friday, Morocco’s General Directorate of Meteorology warned of thunderstorms that are expected to bring rainfalls of up to 150 mm in several regions of the North African country.

Bahoush earlier told Anadolu that the floods have disrupted roads and cut off communication lines in the city, making it difficult to accurately determine the number of missing persons.

Southern Morocco has been experiencing heavy rainfall in recent days, which has replenished the country's reservoirs that had been suffering from water shortages due to declining rainfall in recent years. However, the downpours have also posed risks to the country's agricultural sector.

On Wednesday, three people died as a result of flash floods that swept through cities in eastern Morocco due to heavy rainfall.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi