Torrential flash floods have killed at least 37 people in Safi, a coastal city in Morocco, following a single hour of heavy rain on Sunday, 14 December.

The deluge – which has been described by officials as the deadliest weather event of its kind in over a decade – sent muddy water sweeping cars and debris through the streets.

The sudden flooding inundated at least 70 homes and businesses in the historic city centre, devastating the local economy. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, with 14 injured people receiving hospital treatment. Road access to the port city has been cut off in several locations.

The extreme event follows seven consecutive years of severe drought, which had depleted the country’s reservoirs. Experts link the severe weather fluctuations, with 2024 noted as Morocco’s hottest year on record, to the ongoing climate crisis.

One distressed survivor told an international publication: “I’ve lost all my clothes. Only my neighbour gave me some to cover myself. I have nothing left. I’ve lost everything.”

Forecasters have warned that more heavy rain, along with snowfall in the Atlas Mountains, is expected.

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