Devastating floods in the North African country of Morocco have forced some 143,000 people to evacuate their homes, with rounds of heavy rains starting in late January continuing into the first week of February.
As of Thursday, there are still many weather warnings in place for the northern half of Morocco. The country’s weather service, the General Meteorological Service, has issued warnings for strong winds and thunderstorms that could bring additional heavy rain to the region.
Alert levels corresponding to these warnings range from significant risk, where “hazardous weather phenomena are expected to occur,” to extreme risk, where “hazardous weather phenomena of unusual intensity are expected to occur,” according to the weather service.
Morocco’s historic city of Al-Kebir has been hit hard by this week’s flooding.
“People need to obey God’s will and leave today. We have only a few residents left, but they need to leave,” Mohamed Simo, chairman of the Ksar El-Kbir city council, told Bloomberg on Wednesday. “Water is pouring in from every corner and 150 millimeters of rainfall is expected this afternoon to evening. We are doing everything we can to prevent casualties.”
King Mohammed VI ordered the Moroccan army to assist in the rescue operation. The Grand Palais is at risk of flooding due to this week’s rain. Flooding in the Lucos River in northern Morocco forced residents to evacuate by trucks and horse-drawn carriages.
The Oued El-Makhazine dam was built in the waters of the Loukkos river basin in the late 1960s after Ksar El-Kbir suffered repeated floods, state television station 2M reported. Currently, the dam’s water storage capacity is more than 40% greater than its original design capacity.
Morocco is addressing the effects of global warming on the country. Morocco plans to phase out coal by 2040, investing $30 billion in infrastructure and phasing out old plants. Shifting to renewable energy can reduce pollution, improve public health and strengthen national economies.
Our warming world is accelerating the water cycle and causing polarization.
“Current climate models suggest that rising temperatures will intensify Earth’s water cycle and increase evaporation,” NASA scientists said. “Increased evaporation will lead to more frequent and intense storms, but will also cause some land areas to dry out.
“As a result, areas affected by the storm may experience increased precipitation and increased risk of flooding, while areas further from the storm’s path may experience decreased precipitation and increased risk of drought.”
North Africa is vulnerable to extremes at both ends of the hydrological cycle’s spectrum. While northern parts of the country are facing flooding today, officials are addressing a severe drought that hit parts of the country late last year. An innovative floating solar installation in Morocco can shade reservoir water and prevent it from evaporating while generating electricity for nearby infrastructure. Experts say it’s a win-win for water conservation and clean energy amid worsening drought conditions.
The World Bank Group’s climate risk profile for Morocco concluded: “Precipitation has been declining across the country and is expected to continue to decline, with all regions experiencing significant changes in precipitation beyond expected natural variability by 2050.”
The report adds, “Dry seasons are expected to be longer and desertification to expand northward. At the same time, extreme precipitation events are likely to occur more frequently, increasing the risk of flooding and landslides, especially under generally dry conditions.”
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