Beni Mellal: Partial House Collapse Kills Man in Central Morocco

Rabat – A man died in the partial collapse of a house near Place Al Moukawama in the old medina of Beni Mellal, north-central Morocco, this Thursday, as reported by the Wilaya (governorate) of Beni Mellal in a statement.

The man’s 63-year-old mother, who lived with him, survived the incident.

Local authorities, members of civil protection, and security forces headed to the site to secure the scene and preserve the safety of the people of the area and inhabitants of neighboring houses, state media reported.

The incident took place around 6 p.m. on Thursday.

In response, local and national authorities carried out risk assessments on the old buildings in the medina, rehousing occupants where necessary. 

These efforts are part of a partnership agreement between the Ministry of National Land Management, Planning, Housing and Urban Development, the Wilaya of the Beni Mellal-Khenifra region, the commune of Beni Mellal, and the Al Omrane Group. Planners have allocated MAD 35.615 million ($3.952 million) to the project, according to the same source. 

Authorities in the region also allocated additional funding estimated around MAD 2.1 million ($233,553) as part of the National Initiative For Human Development (INDH) to provide proper liquid sanitation for the area.

The budget also seeks to ensure the connection of sanitation infrastructure to the national network. Beni Mellal authorities cited the lack of this form of infrastructure as one of the main causes of the house collapses.

State media reports the establishment of a watch cell of local officials to monitor and manage the area’s issues relating to housing and threatening damage to the Medina of Beni Mellal.

The press release also emphasizes that the Medina of Beni Mellal’s particular geography and geology has contributed to the high risks witnessed in its buildings.  

Unfortunately, the Beni Mellal partial house collapse is not an isolated tragedy. This year the city of Casablanca has witnessed a few building collapses caused by outdated infrastructure and an aggressive winter. Some of the collapses also resulted in deaths.