Rabat – On the night of Wednesday July 24, in the region of El Haouz (a province in the region of Marrakesh-Safi), a vehicle transporting several people flipped on national road n° 7.
A section of a mountain located between the municipalities of Ijoukak and Asni collapsed on top of the vehicle which was traveling to Taliouine (212 kilometers south of Marrakech).
According to local sources, the passengers were from Casablanca and were heading to Taliouine to celebrate Eid El Adha with their families.
In a press release, the Ministry of the Interior reported that the landslide was due to heavy rainfall in the area a few days before the accident.
More than 6 hours after the accident, the emergency services are still active. Rescue teams are still on-site trying to extract victims’ bodies and find possible survivors.
Ali Tani, a councilor in the rural commune of Tizi N’Test (135 kilometers south-west of Marrakech), explains that Civil Protection officers have so far uncovered 18 bodies.
The authorities have opened an investigation into the incident under the supervision of the Prosecutor’s Office. The 18 bodies were taken to the morgue of Marrakech hospital.
