By Abdullahi Lukman
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has launched a six-month emergency operation in Morocco after deadly flash floods hit Safi province in December 2025, killing at least 52 people and affecting about 2,800 others.
According to an IFRC report, the death toll is higher than earlier official figures, while hundreds of families suffered damage to homes, businesses and essential belongings.
The organisation has allocated CHF 351,736 (about $387,000) from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund to support relief and early recovery efforts.
The floods struck the Atlantic coastal city of Safi on December 14 following several hours of intense rainfall that overwhelmed drainage systems.
Around 700 households were impacted, with about 300 experiencing partial or complete flooding of their homes, forcing temporary displacement and creating unsafe living conditions.
The worst damage occurred in the historic Medina, particularly in the densely populated Bab Chaaba and Sibi Boudheb neighbourhoods, where the Oued Chaaba river overflowed.
Floodwaters damaged roughly 700 small businesses, swept away vehicles, disrupted road access and led to the temporary closure of schools.
Local authorities and emergency services carried out search and rescue operations and evacuations, but the sudden scale of the flooding strained local response capacity.
The IFRC noted that ageing drainage infrastructure, high urban density and increased exposure to extreme weather intensified the impact of the disaster.
Under the emergency operation, the Moroccan Red Crescent will distribute household relief items to 350 families and provide hygiene kits, shelter support and multipurpose cash assistance.
About 500 vulnerable households will receive monthly cash grants of MAD 1,000 for three months. Health activities will include first aid services, psychological support and community awareness on flood-related health risks.
The response will prioritise households whose homes are unsafe or uninhabitable, as well as families that lost livelihoods.
Special attention will be given to female-headed households, older people, persons with disabilities and families with young children.
Morocco has experienced repeated deadly floods in recent decades, with flooding identified as the country’s most frequent and lethal natural hazard between 1970 and 2020.
The IFRC warned that further rainfall forecast in the coming days could slow recovery efforts.
The operation runs until June 30, 2026, and aims to assist about 700 households, while also strengthening local disaster preparedness through training and coordination with authorities and emergency services.
