The death toll from sudden flash floods in Safi climbed to 37, after an hour of intense thunderstorms inundated the Atlantic city on Sunday, December 14, sweeping away vehicles, flooding homes and shops, and severing key roads, local authorities said.
Officials said 32 people were injured, most of whom have since been discharged from hospital, while search teams continue combing affected neighborhoods for possible missing persons. In the immediate aftermath, authorities had reported seven fatalities, before updating the toll late Sunday to 21 and then to 37 this Monday as the scale of the damage became clearer.
Emergency services, local officials and security forces remain fully mobilized, conducting round‑the‑clock search and clearance operations and securing damaged areas.
The regional education directorate has suspended classes on Monday, citing ongoing safety risks and degraded weather conditions.
Material damage is significant, particularly inside the old medina: authorities reported about 70 homes and businesses, notably along Bir Anzaran Street and Abou Dahab Square, were inundated, while roughly 10 vehicles were swept away by torrents that surged through narrow streets.
Sections of Provincial Road 2300, linking Safi with the Hrara/Ahrara commune, suffered heavy damage, disrupting traffic in and around the city.
The General Directorate of Meteorology (DGM) had issued an orange‑level weather alert for Sunday, warning of heavy rainfall (20–40 mm) between 17:30 and 23:00 across multiple provinces, including Safi, Sidi Bennour, El Jadida, Rehamna, Figuig, Errachidia, Berkane, and Nador.
National forecasts late Sunday and early Monday also warned of additional heavy rain and snowfall in parts of the country through the start of the week.
The Safi floods highlight Morocco’s growing climate volatility, with experts and officials warning that years of severe drought are increasingly punctuated by short, extreme downpours capable of triggering deadly flash floods.
Scientists say a warmer atmosphere holds more water, making downpours heavier, while warmer seas can energize storm systems.
