Morocco evacuates over 140,000 as heavy rains end seven-year drought but trigger massive flooding

Morocco has evacuated more than 143,000 people from northwestern regions as torrential rains that ended a devastating seven-year drought have paradoxically created a new crisis—widespread flooding that has left entire towns nearly deserted.

The dramatic weather shift has forced authorities to release water from overfilled dams, causing rivers like the Loukkous to surge beyond their banks and inundate communities including Ksar El Kebir, a major sugar-producing town that saw 85% of its residents evacuated. The Moroccan army has been deployed to assist with emergency evacuations and establish temporary shelters, while schools and universities across the affected areas remain closed.

The flooding presents a bitter irony for the North African nation. While the heavy rains have filled reservoirs and secured at least a year’s supply of drinking water—offering crucial relief after years of punishing drought—they have also damaged key agricultural crops including avocados, potatoes, and olives. Maritime traffic between Morocco and Spain has been disrupted, and port operations have been significantly impacted, delaying commercial shipments.

Videos from affected areas show the scope of destruction, with damaged homes and landslides in rural communities like Bni Zid, where bulldozers are working to clear roads and restore access to isolated residents. Morocco’s water ministry has initiated controlled releases from dams operating at maximum capacity, discharging more than 372 million cubic meters of water to prevent catastrophic dam failures. The situation highlights the complex challenges facing countries as climate change brings increasingly extreme weather patterns.