Authorities scramble to address thousands of unsafe buildings in northern Morocco

Authorities in northern Morocco have renewed warnings over the risk posed by unsafe buildings in historic urban centers after a partial building collapse in the city of Tetouan killed two children.

The incident has intensified concern among officials and residents across the region, particularly in the old medinas of Tetouan, Tangier, Larache and Ksar El Kebir, where aging structures and dense populations increase the risk of further collapses.

Local Hespress AR sources said regional authorities and elected councils have begun coordinating meetings with provincial governors to assess the situation and consider preventive measures aimed at avoiding additional tragedies. The discussions come amid growing pressure to speed up inspections and interventions targeting buildings deemed structurally unsafe.

Previously cited figures indicate that the Tangier–Tetouan–Al Hoceima region contains at least 6,000 buildings classified as at risk of collapse. Of these, about 4,500 have undergone technical assessments, while evaluations of the remainder are still ongoing.

Tetouan’s historic medina accounts for the largest share of identified structures, with more than 2,700 buildings classified as unsafe. Ksar El Kebir follows with about 1,200, while Tangier has nearly 1,200. Additional cases have been recorded in Larache, Ouazzane, Asilah and Chefchaouen.

Officials say the latest tragedy underscores the urgency of addressing long-standing structural vulnerabilities in historic neighborhoods, where many buildings are both residential and centuries old. These areas are also affected by complex property ownership issues and the high cost and logistical difficulty of large-scale rehabilitation or relocation.

Regional authorities describe ongoing efforts as part of a broader strategy to reinforce building safety and improve monitoring systems. However, observers have long argued that interventions often intensify only after fatal incidents, rather than through sustained preventive planning.

The Tetouan collapse is expected to accelerate inspections and emergency measures across several northern cities as authorities seek to prevent further loss of life in buildings widely described as high-risk.