Flooding from Sebou river forces 45,194 people into evacuation camps in Morocco's Gharb

Flooding caused by the Sebou River has deepened the humanitarian crisis across western and northwestern Morocco, forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents as rising waters continue to threaten rural communities.

In Kenitra province alone, about 45,194 people, nearly 9,000 families, have been evacuated as of Sunday, according to local authorities. Evacuations are continuing in several villages deemed at high risk.

Authorities have been distributing food aid to residents trapped by floodwaters or relocated to temporary shelters, using both ground and air transport. However, local sources in some affected communities say the assistance remains insufficient, warning that a shortage of animal feed has begun to cause livestock deaths.

Speaking from an evacuation camp, Adel El Khattabi, head of economic affairs and coordination at the Kenitra provincial administration, said the evacuations were carried out under royal instructions to protect lives amid rising river levels.

He said authorities have provided shelters, tents, mattresses and blankets, along with food aid, basic supplies and medical coverage. Veterinary caravans have also been deployed to treat livestock, and fodder has been distributed, while security forces have been tasked with protecting residents and their property.

At a shelter site in the Hmassis village of Oulad Salama commune, officials have also accommodated livestock belonging to 200 farmers. The site currently houses more than 5,200 sheep, 937 cattle and 173 horses, El Khattabi said.

In neighboring Sidi Kacem province, floodwaters have continued to isolate the Hawafate commune for more than eight days, according to local civil society activist Qassem El Basti. Several villages remain completely or partially cut off, with weekly markets suspended for a second consecutive week.

El Basti said food supplies and animal feed have run out in several villages, leading to initial cases of livestock deaths, particularly in areas where residents lack food reserves. He added that while food aid has been airlifted to some locations, it remains inadequate.

In Sidi Slimane province, local activist and teacher Abdelrahim Afif said authorities have distributed food and clothing to residents of several isolated villages over the past two days. He noted that in nearby communes, some villages have seen complete agricultural losses, while floodwaters have entered homes in others.

Flooding across the Sebou basin has submerged large swaths of farmland, damaged protective infrastructure and left entire rural communities isolated as authorities struggle to keep pace with the scale of the disaster.