• Morocco evacuated more than 143,000 people from flood-prone northwestern plains.
• Heavy rainfall, river swelling, and dam water releases drove the emergency measures.
• Authorities linked the flooding pattern to climate-driven hydrological volatility.

In Morocco, the Ministry of Interior announced on February 5 that authorities evacuated more than 143,000 people on a preventive or emergency basis from all northwestern plains. The ministry said intense rainfall, rising river levels, and the release of excess water from full dams exposed these areas to flooding. Authorities said the objective aimed to minimize the risk of loss of life and anticipate further overflows.

Cold weather and heavy rainfall recorded since December 2025 initially reassured the kingdom after seven consecutive years of drought that severely affected the agricultural sector. However, the situation quickly turned into a challenge as sudden floods hit low-lying plains and river valleys in the northwest.

The situation became particularly critical in Ksar El Kébir, a historic city of about 120,000 inhabitants located in the Loukkos region. Since late January, heavy rainfall caused a rapid rise in the level of the local wadi, which triggered flooding of unprecedented scale.

As part of evacuation operations, authorities mobilized hundreds of buses, security forces, and the army to relocate exposed populations. Authorities also set up reception camps in several neighboring cities, including Larache, Asilah, and Tangier, to provide shelter and emergency assistance.

This situation illustrates how climate change influences hydrological risk in the region. Alternating prolonged droughts and extreme rainfall match global trends described in the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published between 2021 and 2023 for the Mediterranean basin, where atmospheric warming intensifies the water cycle and increases the frequency and severity of heavy rainfall events.

This article was initially published in French by Espoir Olodo

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de BERRY QUENUM