• The government will invest $330 million in emergency and recovery measures.

• Floods have displaced 188,000 people and submerged 110,000 hectares of farmland.

• Authorities have declared several provinces disaster zones following weeks of extreme rainfall.

Morocco will invest $330 million to assist northwestern regions hit by several weeks of severe flooding, the government announced.

Officials declared the provinces of Larache, Kénitra, Sidi Kacem and Sidi Slimane disaster zones after heavy rainfall triggered widespread damage. The government will allocate funds to repair damaged infrastructure, rehouse displaced households, compensate income losses and restore homes and businesses. The plan will also support farmers and small enterprises in order to limit the floods’ economic impact.

Since January, exceptional rainfall has triggered flash floods across plains and river valleys in northwestern Morocco. Authorities aggravated the flooding when they released excess water from several dams as national reservoir levels rose from 27% to nearly 70%, with local peaks exceeding that level.

Humanitarian and Economic Urgency

The Gharb and Loukkos basins, which irrigate the affected provinces, rank among Morocco’s most important agricultural zones. Farmers operate extensive cereal fields, livestock farms and large fruit and vegetable plantations that supply export markets. Floodwaters have submerged more than 110,000 hectares of agricultural land and damaged cereal crops, berry plantations, vegetable fields and sugar beet farms destined for export.

Authorities reported that floods displaced 188,000 people and prompted more than 143,000 preventive or emergency evacuations to reduce human risk. Floodwaters severely affected Ksar El Kébir, a historic city of around 120,000 residents, where authorities reported multiple submerged neighborhoods.

Relief and Assistance Measures

Authorities restricted access to several areas while the army, security forces and local officials conducted rescue operations. Officials established reception camps in cities such as Asilah and Tangier to shelter evacuated residents and provide emergency assistance. Rescue teams deployed helicopters and boats to facilitate operations.

Authorities partially emptied several major dams to absorb additional floodwaters even as snowmelt in the Atlas and Rif mountains reached a record 55,495 square kilometers and will continue to feed reservoirs in the coming weeks. Officials implemented these measures to protect infrastructure, secure water supplies and limit further damage.

These operations highlight the growing impact of climate change on Morocco’s hydrological risk. Alternating prolonged droughts and extreme rainfall reflect broader Mediterranean trends, where atmospheric warming intensifies the water cycle and increases the frequency and severity of heavy precipitation events, according to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

The $330 million investment reflects both a humanitarian imperative and a strategic effort to strengthen the resilience of communities, infrastructure and economic activity against climate hazards. Authorities aim to provide immediate support while preparing the country for future extreme rainfall events.

Olivier de Souza