00:00In southern Morocco, torrential rains have triggered devastating floods, claiming the
00:05lives of at least 11 people, with 9 others still missing.
00:09The affected regions include the provinces of Tata, Tiznit, and Erechidia.
00:14According to local authorities, the floods caused widespread destruction, wiping out
00:1940 homes and damaging over 90 roads.
00:23Villages across the area have also faced severe disruptions to electricity, water supplies,
00:28and phone networks.
00:31This exceptional climate event, described by the Interior Ministry's spokesperson,
00:35Rashid Kalfi, is unlike anything seen in recent years.
00:40The rains were particularly intense in Tata, located 740 km south of Rabat, where seven
00:46people lost their lives.
00:48Erechidia, nearly 500 km east of Marrakesh, also reported two fatalities.
00:54Among the victims, one was a foreign national, though further details have not been provided.
01:00In just two days, these areas received a year's worth of rain, leading to the extreme flooding.
01:07Kalfi noted that 17 prefectures and provinces were impacted, with homes collapsing and major
01:12infrastructure being damaged.
01:15Southern Morocco, usually an arid region, has been hit by heavy rainfall since Friday,
01:20leaving areas like Ouarzazate submerged.
01:23Incredibly, Tagounite, a town near the Algerian border, saw 170 mm of rain, an extraordinary
01:31amount considering the area's usual dry climate.
01:35Local residents, like Omar Gana from Ouarzazate, are stunned by the severity of the rainfall.
01:40He remarked that the region hasn't experienced such downpours in over a decade.
01:45These rains come after years of severe drought, which have depleted water reserves, leaving
01:50dam levels at less than 28% of capacity.
01:54The flooding has even affected areas in neighboring Algeria, where one person has died, and several
01:59others remain missing.
02:02Civil defense teams in Algeria have been working around the clock to rescue families trapped
02:06by rising floodwaters.
02:09With climate conditions continuing to be unpredictable, both Morocco and Algeria face immense challenges
02:15in dealing with the aftermath of this rare weather event.
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