A passenger bus was swept away by floodwaters in the Tata Valley on Friday, resulting in the tragic loss of two lives, with 13 people rescued and leaving 14 others unaccounted for, according to an official statement from the local authorities in Tata.
The Tata region is currently grappling with severe flooding as torrential rains have unleashed river flows that locals say are unlike anything they’ve seen before. This has caused road closure, swept away the passenger bus, and left the state of rural villages shrouded in uncertainty.
The official statement indicated that a woman from the village of Ighorten, situated in the Takzmirte commune of the Adiss district, has also been reported missing amid the severe flooding, in addition to the bus tragedy.
Hespress has learned from a high-ranking source in the Equipment and Water sector, who wished to remain anonymous, that river levels have reached record highs, prompting security forces across all branches to remain on high alert for hours.
The source also noted that authorities are on-site, monitoring the rising water levels, which have already blocked several roads.
The official statement from the local authorities indicated that the thunderstorms have caused water levels in many rivers to rise to unprecedented heights, with the Tata River exceeding 2,300 cubic meters per second and the Zguid river reaching 1,900 cubic meters per second.
In terms of property damage, the entire region has experienced significant losses. Initial reports indicated that many homes, from which residents had already been evacuated, have collapsed either partially or fully.
Also, various public structures have been damaged or destroyed, and multiple road segments have been compromised, causing traffic interruptions across the region.
According to the same source, public authorities and all involved parties worked together to mobilize all available resources, both logistical and human, in order to address this emergency situation promptly and provide aid to affected citizens.
Search and rescue operations for the missing individuals continue, reads the official statement from local authorities, along with efforts to repair damaged roads and restore essential services across the region.
It’s worth noting that several villages in the Tata province experienced a night of panic due to the unprecedented flooding of the valleys, which caused widespread road closures.
Commenting on the passenger bus that was swept away, the source said authorities still don’t have precise details about the incident but will share updates soon.
Mohammed El Hilali, a local civil activist, stated that “many rivers have overflowed due to the heavy rains, raising water levels to record highs, especially in the Tata River. This has effectively trapped the region, leaving the fate of the villages completely unknown.”
The flood’s intensity has split the waters in Tata, submerging large bridges, according to the same source. He mentioned that “security forces are on high alert, working to assess the damage and rescue what they can.”
The spokesperson also told Hespress AR that “the current concern is the fate of the rural villages, as most access roads are blocked.” He stressed that “no one knows the full extent of the losses.”
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