El Jadida resumes coast wave project to become first Tsunami-safe city in Morocco

The Coast Wave project, aimed at declaring El Jadida “safe from tsunami risks,” has resumed after several months of delays, according to an informed source who spoke to Hespress. 

The Moroccan team, comprising academic and technical institutions, successfully retrieved two early-warning sirens previously held at Mohammed V International Airport in Nouaceur by the company responsible for storage and customs clearance. 

The team provided the necessary guarantees to the company, ensuring that the administrative procedures would be completed later. 

These sirens, donated by UNESCO’s International Oceanographic Commission, are essential for the final phase of the project.

Scheduled to resume next week, the project, in collaboration with UNESCO and Moroccan institutions, will begin the installation of the sirens in El Jadida, with a specialized company assigned to the task.

 International partners have been notified and will visit to officially inaugurate the project and declare El Jadida as the first city in Morocco to be recognized as tsunami-safe.

The delay was caused by complications in retrieving the equipment from the airport, compounded by the storage fees, amounting to over 40,000 MAD, demanded by the customs clearance company.

 The University of Abou Chouaib Doukkali in El Jadida struggled to secure the funds within its 2024 budget, leading to official correspondence with the company. 

Ultimately, the necessary guarantees were provided, allowing the project to proceed.

In December, the International Oceanographic Commission inquired about the delay in Morocco, given that the project had already been completed in Alexandria, Egypt. 

The Coast Wave initiative, which focuses on tsunami preparedness, has been implemented in only two cities in North Africa—El Jadida and Alexandria. 

Future phases are expected to expand to other Moroccan cities.

This project is overseen by UNESCO’s International Oceanographic Commission, in partnership with the University of Abou Chouaib Doukkali and the National Center for Scientific and Technical Research. Early phases included mapping the city and installing tsunami evacuation signage.