Deadly flooding in Safi exposes gaps in risk prevention measures

The mayor of Safi said the deadly flooding that struck the coastal city late Sunday was caused by an unprecedented surge in runoff that overwhelmed the local river system, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries.

Ilyas El Badaoui, president of the Safi municipal council, said the volume of water had not been seen in the area for nearly a century and was impossible for authorities to contain.

“The water load was unexpected and far beyond normal levels, making it uncontrollable by any party,” El Badaoui told Hespress ar. He said the surge altered the river’s course, diverting it toward residential areas and causing fatalities among men and women in the city.

El Badaoui said provincial authorities, under the supervision of the governor and through the regional monitoring committee, are working to redesign the river’s course to prevent a similar disaster in the future.

“We must change the river’s path,” he said. “We are currently seeking solutions to avoid such losses, whether in lives or property.”

However, a municipal council member blamed the disaster on failures by the provincial monitoring committee, which is legally chaired by the governor.

Mohamed Zennoun said the committee did not take the necessary preventive measures ahead of the severe weather. He said the committee typically meets twice a year, particularly in November, to prepare for seasonal risks, but that this did not occur.

“The city’s topography and the fact that the Asif wadi runs through Safi should have been taken into account,” Zennoun said.

He added that the river is usually cleared of waste and debris before the rainy season, a step he said was not carried out this year. As a result, floodwaters were forced to change direction, flowing toward the Shaba area.

Zennoun also said drainage outlets leading to the sea appeared to have been blocked due to ongoing construction work, preventing water from flowing out and causing levels to rise to as much as six meters, flooding shops and surrounding areas.

He said responsibility for what he described as a catastrophe lies with the Safi municipality, the regional multi-service utility company and the monitoring committee.

Authorities have not yet released an official death toll or announced the results of any formal investigation.