Torrential rain over the weekend, with hail in places across Morocco, is causing flooding in several regions of the kingdom.
Despite the ‘orange’ alert, the rain has provided some respite from the drought.
Violent thunderstorms, accompanied by heavy rain and sometimes hail, hit several regions over the weekend. The south-eastern provinces and the High Atlas region were particularly badly hit, with heavy rainfall and large amounts of water reported.
Villages were flooded and rivers burst their banks, causing serious material damage. The Moroccan Meteorological Office had issued a weather warning for 23 and 24 August, but the intensity of the rain took many residents by surprise.
On Sunday the provinces of Midelt, Figuig, Tinghir, Ouarzazate, Azilal, Beni Mellal and Boulemane were forecast to receive between 15 and 25 mm (15 to 25 litres per square metre) of rain, according to an orange alert issued by the Moroccan meteorological service.
These large volumes of water were used for irrigation, providing welcome relief in a region where agriculture has been severely affected by high temperatures and drought. Wadi Ghriss, in particular, collected around 20 million cubic metres of water in two days, according to the MaaDialna.ma platform, which is affiliated to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water.
Moulay Mhamed Slimani, director of the Guir-Ziz-Rheris Water Basin Agency, said that the floodwater was diverted by the diversion dams built along the Wadi Ghriss, in particular the Moulay Brahim dam, to irrigate the oases of Rheris, Goulmima, Jorf and Tafilalet.
”Thanks to these diversion dams, more than 12,000 hectares will be irrigated as a result of this rainfall,” he stressed.
The Moroccan authorities are continuing to monitor the situation, with weather forecasts predicting more showers in the coming days. Efforts are focused on preventing further damage and making the best use of water resources to support agriculture in the affected regions.
This extreme weather event highlights not only the vulnerability of infrastructure to the vagaries of nature, but also the resilience and adaptability of local communities. It also highlights the importance of water management in sustainable development strategies, particularly in the arid and semi-arid regions of Morocco.
MN/te/sf/lb/as/APA