Local authorities at the Al Fida-Mers Sultan district, one of the eight districts of Casablanca, have begun demolishing buildings at risk of collapsing.
Authorities launched the operation on Sunday, January 24. They began by demolishing residential buildings in the Bouchentouf neighborhood, near the Casablanca Mers Sultan train station.
The operation seeks to protect the neighborhood’s population and the building’s residents.
Authorities began demolishing the buildings after conducting technical studies on the concerned houses and asking their residents to evacuate them, 2M reported today.
To safely conduct the demolition, local authorities closed off the roads surrounding the concerned buildings.
According to the 2M report, residents were aware of the threat the buildings posed and did not oppose the operation.
The residents of demolished buildings across Morocco receive financial compensation. The Moroccan state budget finances the compensation through the national program for the rehabilitation of buildings at risk of collapsing.
The demolition operation comes a few weeks after two buildings collapsed in Casablanca, claiming four lives and causing several injuries.
Read also: Collapsed Building in Casablanca Killed 3 Victims, Including 1 Child
On January 7, the roof of a building in the old Medina of Casablanca collapsed, killing one person and injuring four others.
One day later, the collapse of a three-story residential building in the Hay Mohammadi district killed three people, including a child and his mother. The incident also injured four other residents to varying degrees.
The tragic events occurred as Casablanca was witnessing heavy rainfall that caused several floods and damaged the city’s infrastructure.
Citizens expressed their indignation at the incidents and urged authorities to find a solution to the recurring issue.
The Al Fida-Mers Sultan district appears to have reacted to citizens’ worries, but it remains to be seen whether the other seven districts of Casablanca will follow suit.
