Rabat – Abdelrahim Tannas, the Regional Director of Equipment in Safi said today that rainfall recorded in the city center on Sunday exceeded 60 millimeters within three hours.
Tannas made his remarks in a statement to Morocco’s news agency MAP, where he said the rainfall that the city experienced varied from one area to another.
He said the city center recorded rainfall that exceeded 60 millimeters, “which explains the scale of the flooding that affected central Safi, particularly the Sidi Bozid area.”
Floods that affected the city left 37 people dead, and several others injured.
Earlier today, Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch attributed the situation to the fact that rainfall exceeded 30 or 37 millimeters in the region, causing considerable damage to the city’s infrastructure and killing dozens.
“It is the fate that rainfall of 30 millimeters affected the region of Safi in a short period of time, 37 millimeters to be precise, affecting the historical Bab Chaaba market, which is traversed by a river,” he told MPs at the parliament today.
Morocco’s weather office has warned that more rainfall will affect several regions across the country until Wednesday.
The country’s Road Safety Agency wanted road users to exercise extreme caution, urging them to postpone non-essential travel amid heavy rainfall and snow.
The agency urged public passenger bus drivers and freight truck drivers to exercise extra attention and caution while driving. It also urged drivers to monitor weather notices when planning trips between cities and provinces.
The adverse weather conditions multiply the risks of traffic accidents, the agency said. It also urged drivers to subject their vehicles to regular mechanical maintenance and conduct thorough technical inspections for their safety.
The agency also called on drivers to get sufficient rest before driving, citing fatigue and inattention as a result of traffic accidents.
