Morocco warns floods persist as Spain evacuates thousands

• Moroccan authorities urge residents to stay away from flooded areas as risks rise and reservoirs overflow.
• Spain evacuates thousands in the south amid successive storms and warnings of more heavy rain.

Flooding continues to batter parts of Morocco and southern Spain, prompting fresh warnings from authorities and the evacuation of thousands as a series of powerful storms shows no sign of easing.

Morocco urges vigilance as waters rise

Morocco’s Interior Ministry early Friday warned residents not to return to flood-hit areas, citing ongoing hydrological risks and no clear indication that waters are receding.

Read more: Iranian diplomat warns US military presence may threaten Muscat talks

In a statement, the ministry said field data and monitoring forecasts point to a possible deterioration, with continued water flows and reservoirs at or beyond capacity. It urged the public to exercise the highest levels of caution.

The ministry released video showing rising water levels in the northern city of Ksar el-Kebir, driven by increased flows from the Loukkos River.

Since January 28, widespread flooding has affected the provinces of Larache, Kenitra, Sidi Kacem, and Sidi Slimane, with Ksar el-Kebir among the hardest hit. Officials said the Oued El Makhazine dam exceeded 156 percent of capacity for the first time, triggering overflows.

Read more: British authority warns of armed boats near Strait of Hormuz

Local media reported that 62 homes partially or fully collapsed in Tetouan province. In Chefchaouen province, a local official said floods caused the collapse of thirty homes in the Aghbalou hamlet of Tanaqoub, with no casualties after residents were evacuated in advance.

The Interior Ministry previously said more than 154,000 people were evacuated from affected areas and relocated to shelters and camps in safer zones, including in nearby cities such as Tangier.

Government spokesperson Mustapha Baitas said Thursday that no deaths have been recorded so far, adding that authorities remain on high alert to take all necessary measures.

Storm train forces evacuations in Spain

Across the Mediterranean, authorities in southern Spain evacuated thousands of residents as rivers swelled and landslide risks increased following Storm Leonardo’s impact on the Iberian Peninsula.

More than seven thousand people were forced to leave their homes in Andalusia amid what officials describe as a “storm train”, a succession of storms that has swept through Portugal and Spain in recent weeks with heavy rain and strong winds.

Spain’s state meteorological agency warned that another storm, named Marta, is expected to hit the peninsula on Saturday, potentially bringing additional heavy rainfall and worsening conditions.

Several residential areas near the Guadalquivir River in Cordoba province were cleared after sharp rises in water levels. Around one thousand five hundred people were also evacuated from the mountainous village of Grazalema after water entered homes and coursed through stone-paved streets.

Authorities in both countries said emergency services remain deployed as forecasts point to continued volatility in the days ahead.