RABAT, Morocco: Torrential rains lashed North Africa’s normally arid mountains and deserts over the weekend, causing flooding that killed nearly two dozen people in Morocco and Algeria and destroyed homes and critical infrastructure.
In Morocco, authorities said the two days of storms exceeded historical averages and in some cases exceeded the annual rainfall average. Torrential rains hit some of the regions hit by a deadly earthquake a year ago.
Meteorologists had predicted an unusual deluge could hit the Sahara Desert in North Africa, where many areas receive less than an inch of rain a year.
Moroccan authorities reported that 18 people were killed in rural areas historically short of infrastructure and that 56 houses had collapsed. Nine people were missing. Water and electricity infrastructure were damaged, as were major roads.
Among the dead in the region, where many tourists come to enjoy desert landscapes, were foreigners from Canada and Peru.
Rachid El Khalfi, spokesman for Morocco’s Interior Ministry, said in a statement on Monday that the government was working to restore communication and access to flooded regions in the “exceptional situation” and urged people to exercise caution.
In neighbouring Algeria, where presidential elections were held over the weekend, authorities said at least five people were killed in the country’s desert provinces. Interior Minister Brahim Merad described the situation as “catastrophic” on state television.
Algeria’s state news agency APS reported that the government had sent thousands of civil protection and military personnel to help with emergency response efforts and rescue families trapped in their homes. Flooding also damaged bridges and trains.
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