Severe Thunderstorms Lead to Unprecedented Flooding
On Saturday, October 10, 2026, the Al Haouz region experienced intense thunderstorm rainfall that resulted in unprecedented flooding across several streams and valleys, causing significant human and material losses. The heavy downpour led to near-total paralysis of traffic on various national, regional, and rural roads. Local authorities reported the tragic death of a driver who was caught off guard by the floods of the "Amasin Stream." In an attempt to rescue his vehicle, he was swept away by the torrential waters for a distance of up to three kilometers, with his body later found at the confluence of the stream with the "Amasin River" near the village of Al-Azeeb, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Warkan commune.
Infrastructure Damage and Traffic Disruptions
Official data obtained by Hespress revealed extensive disruptions to the road infrastructure due to the floods. The National Road No. 7, linking Marrakech and Taroudant, saw traffic halted around 5 PM in the "Raha" area, part of the Moulay Ibrahim commune, due to flooding from the "Thlat Nourhal" and "Thlat Nait Al-Qadi" streams, as well as in the Amasin area of the Warkan commune. Furthermore, the regional road No. 2022 connecting Warkan and Amizmiz was also affected, with traffic ceasing near the Al-Azeeb village due to the inundation of the Amasin River. Similarly, the regional road No. 2017 between Marrakech and Sidi Fatima was rendered impassable at 4:20 PM near Agbalou village due to the flooding of one of the streams. The same road experienced rockfalls at two points: kilometers 35.5 near "Tahat Doum" and 37 near "Tafza" in the Ouirgane commune; however, rapid intervention allowed for the removal of debris without completely halting traffic.
Additionally, the regional road No. 2030 between Asni and Tashdert was closed at the villages of "Tamkounsi" and "Tamatrat" due to flooding from several streams. On the regional road No. 2009 between Marrakech and Amizmiz, the Amasin River flooded the crossing located near the "Akout" village in the Tamslouht commune, leading to road closure. The regional road No. 2016 between Zarqtan and Abadou also faced temporary closure at the "Ait Abdullah" village due to stream flooding.
Unclassified roads and rural paths were not spared from the impacts of this thunderstorm. Traffic was interrupted on the road linking Asni Center and the "Tadamamt" village near Sidi Faris, as well as the route connecting Azkor Center and "Anrni" village near Ait Dawad due to flooding from the Azkor River. The path between Ikirfrouan and Ouirgane at the Tabiya village was also disrupted following the flooding of the Tamkout stream.
In the Zarqtan commune, two major paths were reported as impassable, namely the Ikouya and Oued Issa paths, along with the route connecting regional road No. 2016 and the "Arg Sidi Ali Oumoussa" village, pending a decrease in water levels. The Amghras commune also reported closures for paths leading to "Tizki" and "Ait Arghit" villages at several points.
In light of this exceptional situation, local and regional authorities in Al Haouz declared a state of maximum alert in coordination with security services, the regional directorate of equipment, transport, and logistics, and the relevant local authorities. All human resources and logistical equipment have been mobilized to drain the flooded areas and gradually reopen the damaged routes.
Specialized committees continue to monitor the situation closely, urgently urging residents of the region and road users to exercise utmost caution and to refrain from attempting to cross rivers and streams during flooding periods. Adhering strictly to the instructions of field authorities is crucial to protect lives and property.
As reported by hespress.com.
