Morocco Floods: Royal Gendarmerie Launches Emergency Response in Ksar El Kebir
- Ksar El Kébir, Morocco is facing a severe flooding crisis, prompting the evacuation of over 20,000 residents, and reportedly as many as 50,000, nearly half the city’s population.
- The response to the disaster has been a large-scale mobilization effort, directed under high-level royal directives.
- The situation was exacerbated by controlled water releases from the Oued Makhazine dam, which had reached full capacity.
Flood Crisis Grips Ksar El Kébir, Morocco, Forcing Mass Evacuations
Ksar El Kébir, Morocco is facing a severe flooding crisis, prompting the evacuation of over 20,000 residents, and reportedly as many as 50,000, nearly half the city’s population. The crisis stems from weeks of heavy rainfall that caused the Loukkos River to overflow, submerging entire districts and disrupting daily life.
The response to the disaster has been a large-scale mobilization effort, directed under high-level royal directives. King Mohammed VI issued instructions for immediate and reinforced intervention to protect affected populations and limit the extent of the damage. These instructions included providing tents for shelter, ensuring food supplies for families impacted by the flooding, and urging evacuations in threatened areas.
The situation was exacerbated by controlled water releases from the Oued Makhazine dam, which had reached full capacity. Authorities stated these releases were necessary to protect the dam’s structural integrity, but contributed to the downstream surge of water that overwhelmed the city.
The Royal Armed Forces have been deployed to support civil protection services in rescue and evacuation operations. Military helicopters and specialized vehicles are being used to reach residents trapped by floodwaters, and temporary shelters have been established in schools, community centers, and designated camps. Sandbags and metal barriers have been installed at entrances to vulnerable districts in an attempt to reduce further water intrusion.
More than 70 buses and several train services have been mobilized to transport evacuees to safer locations, including the northern port city of Tangier. Evacuations are both voluntary and mandatory, depending on the level of risk in different areas.
Public services have been significantly disrupted. All public and private schools in Ksar El Kébir have been suspended from to due to safety concerns. Electricity has been cut in several flooded neighborhoods as a precautionary measure, and access to the city is restricted to emergency services and those evacuating affected zones.
Residents have described Ksar El Kébir as a “ghost town,” with most commercial activity halted and markets closed due to the floodwaters. A national flood monitoring committee reported that entire districts were submerged, damaging infrastructure and disrupting daily life.
The flooding began in recent days and prompted the emergency response. As of Saturday, more than 20,000 people had been evacuated, according to reports. Rescue teams, including military units, are working alongside civil protection services to move families to safety and secure affected zones.