Attachments
Date of event 14-12-2025
What happened, where and when?
On 14 December 2025, intense and short-duration rainfall affected Safi Province, on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, resulting in sudden urban flooding and flash floods. Heavy precipitation over a limited timeframe (a few hours) caused rapid surface runoff, overwhelming existing drainage systems and leading to the inundation of low-lying and densely populated neighborhoods. The flooding was scored 0.5 on the GDACS scale.
The flooding had a significant humanitarian impact, with reported fatalities (52) and injuries (est. 20 – 50), as well as a considerable number of people affected (est. 700 households composed of approx. 2,800 individuals) through damage to buildings (homes and ground-floor shops), loss of essential household items, and temporary displacement. Several households experienced partial or complete flooding of their dwellings (est. 300), compromising living conditions and immediate safety. As a precautionary measure, schools were temporarily closed (est. 3 days) in affected areas.
Infrastructure damage included flooded residential buildings and 700 small businesses, vehicles swept away by floodwater, and temporary disruption of road access, which complicated emergency response and mobility. The event highlighted the structural vulnerability of urban drainage and flood management systems, particularly in older neighborhoods (i.e in Medina old town, specifically Bab Chaaba and Sibi Boudheb neighborhoods) with high population density.
Local authorities and emergency services were rapidly mobilized to conduct search and rescue operations, evacuations, and site securing activities. While the immediate response capacity was activated, the scale and sudden onset of the event placed significant pressure on local resources, creating gaps in meeting urgent humanitarian needs.