Rabat, Morocco – A tragic accident occurred on Saturday in the Tetouan region of northern Morocco when a flash flood swept away a car carrying five people. Four of them died, and a fifth remains missing, according to local authorities.
The accident took place on Regional Road 4704, near a major tributary of the Rmilat River.
The powerful torrent caught the vehicle by surprise, preventing its occupants from escaping.
Authorities confirmed that rescue teams immediately launched a search operation,
with the participation of civil protection personnel and divers.
Trained dogs and a drone were also deployed to closely monitor the situation.
A number of local volunteers assisted in the search and rescue efforts.
Search operations on Saturday night recovered the bodies of a 14-year-old girl and a two-year-old boy.
On Sunday morning, two more bodies were found, one of a 12-year-old boy and the other of a man in his thirties.
The search for the fifth missing person continues.
For its part, the relevant public prosecutor’s office has opened a judicial investigation to determine the circumstances of the incident,
in an effort to understand the causes of the flash floods and their impact on neighboring areas.
Morocco experiences periods of heavy rainfall leading to flash floods.
This necessitates the readiness of local rescue teams and the cooperation of citizens to mitigate risks.
This incident comes amidst warnings of an increased risk of flooding in several northern regions,
prompting authorities to take precautionary measures, including the evacuation of residents from areas most vulnerable to flooding.
The incident underscores the importance of strengthening infrastructure to mitigate flooding
and raising public awareness of preventative measures to ensure
the safety of residents and minimize human and material losses in such severe weather conditions.
