The Moroccan authorities have launched a large-scale rescue operation in the northwestern part of the country due to a critical rise in the water level of the Loukkos River. After several weeks of continuous rains, the city of Ksar el-Kebir was under threat of complete flooding, from where about 50,000 residents, almost half of the total population of the settlement, have already been evacuated. This is reported by Reuters, writes UNN.
Details
The situation in Ksar el-Kebir remains tense: electricity supply is partially cut off in the city, all markets and shops are closed, and schools will not operate until at least Saturday. According to Reuters, the flood was provoked not only by precipitation but also by the forced discharge of water from the Oued Makhazine dam, which is 100% full.
The city has turned into a ghost. All markets and shops are closed, and most residents have either left voluntarily or been evacuated.
He added that people are most concerned about the uncertainty: "The question that worries us is: what will happen next? The dam is full, and we don't know how long this situation will last."
Involvement of the army and the end of a multi-year drought
Units of the Moroccan army, helicopters, and special equipment are involved in the rescue operations. The military is helping to build temporary sand barriers and evacuate people to specially equipped camps. In addition to Ksar el-Kebir, villages in the Sidi-Kacem province are being evacuated due to the overflowing of the Sebou River.
Paradoxically, these devastating rains at the same time ended a seven-year severe drought in Morocco. Currently, the national dam filling level has approached 62%, which is critically important for the country's agriculture, although the price of such water resource restoration turned out to be too high.
We returned to help as volunteers, but the fear of the elements remains.
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