Water cuts deepen hardship in flood-hit Larache villages

Residents of more than 20 villages in flood-hit areas of Larache Province have been without access to drinking water for weeks, intensifying daily hardship and sparking growing anger among rural communities already struggling with the aftermath of severe flooding.

According to local Hespress AR sources, prolonged disruptions to potable water services have forced many families to rely on irrigation canals and streams running through farmland to meet basic household needs and water livestock.

Health risks are mounting, particularly for children, older residents and people with chronic illnesses who cannot afford bottled water. Using untreated surface water, residents say, has become a last resort amid worsening poverty and isolation.

Ahmed Hicham, a resident of the village of Sawaken, about 15 kilometers from Ksar el-Kebir, said the water outage has persisted for weeks and requires urgent intervention.

“We are suffering and fetching water from ravines and canals after being cut off for weeks,” he tells Hespress AR while transporting plastic barrels on a horse-drawn cart. “No water, no gas cylinders,  what do you expect from us? Should we also leave for Tangier?” he added, referring to migration driven by deteriorating living conditions.

Other villagers confirmed the severity of the situation, saying the delay in restoring services has tested their resilience. One woman appealed for a solution before the start of Ramadan, warning that the hardship would intensify during the fasting month if the crisis continues.

Mohammed Kaber, head of the Communication, Development and Cooperation Association in Sawaken, described conditions as “harsh,” saying water shortages have compounded losses from the floods.

“Our crops were destroyed, our livestock suffered heavy losses, and now we are facing thirst,” Kaber said. He questioned how damage assessments and aid allocations were being carried out, noting that rural communities appear to have been left behind compared with nearby urban areas.

Kaber urged authorities to act swiftly to support affected villages, warning that residents are facing the crisis largely alone amid what he described as an almost total absence of local councils and elected officials.