Residents of Sidi Ayach village in the Oulad Salama commune, Kenitra province, are facing severe hardship after floodwaters cut roads, submerged farmland and forced thousands to flee their homes.
Flooding from the Sebou River basin left the main road linking Sidi Ayach to neighboring villages and the town of Mechraa Bel Ksiri impassable to light vehicles. Movement is now limited to security forces using boats and farmers with tractors capable of crossing the flooded areas.
Local authorities evacuated many residents to a temporary shelter at the Oulad Salama market, while others remain trapped in multi-story homes as water levels reached up to three meters in some areas.
Farmers reported heavy losses after floodwaters destroyed crops including broccoli, fennel, alfalfa and legumes, while livestock deaths were reported and animal feed stocks were washed away.
“I lost nearly 70,000 dirhams,” local farmer Lahcen Amri tells Hespress AR, adding that many residents refused to leave their homes despite the risks.
Another farmer, Rachid, said livelihoods were wiped out, leaving farmers unable to repay debts taken on for seeds and fertilizer ahead of what had been expected to be a strong agricultural season.
As of Monday, about 46,700 people had been evacuated in Kenitra province, according to provincial authorities, with Oulad Salama and Mechraa Bel Ksiri among the hardest-hit areas.
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