Residents of Taounate call for urgent aid after unprecedented floods and landslides

Thousands of residents in Taounate are facing a humanitarian and natural disaster following record rainfall and severe landslides that have left entire villages isolated, homes destroyed, and farmland wiped out within hours.

A local support committee issued a statement Thursday describing the situation as a “fully-fledged natural disaster” that exceeds the capacity of routine emergency interventions and places the province among the most vulnerable areas to climate-related catastrophes.

The committee cited national disaster law, which defines a catastrophe as an event with a decisive natural cause and a failure of ordinary measures. It said both conditions were met: rainfall and landslides reached unprecedented levels, and infrastructure collapse has disrupted life across multiple villages. The committee also referenced the 2015-2030 Sendai Framework, which urges governments to understand risks, strengthen governance, invest in resilience, and build back better after disasters.

While the committee acknowledged initial government recognition of some affected areas, it urged authorities to extend disaster status to the entire province, including remote mountainous regions. “Disasters do not respect administrative borders, and Morocco is one territorial and social unit,” the statement read.

The committee’s urgent demands include:

1. A comprehensive field assessment of losses across the province with participation from authorities, relevant sectors, and local actors.

2. Official recognition of Taounate as a disaster zone, with immediate inclusion in reconstruction and emergency support programs.

3. Restoration of rural access by reopening roads and repairing damaged infrastructure.

4. Direct assistance to families and farmers, including temporary shelter, essential aid, and fair compensation for agricultural losses.

5. Immediate medical care for patients and those with chronic illnesses.

6. Transparent and public compensation procedures to ensure affected residents receive their rights without bureaucratic obstacles.

The statement concluded: “We speak today not just as a committee, but as the voice of thousands of Taounate families awaiting recognition of their disaster, fair compensation, and a national response that moves beyond temporary measures to address the structural causes of territorial and social vulnerability.”