Rabat – Heavy rain fell across Marrakech on Saturday night, leaving the city paralyzed and residents scrambling for safety.
The storm, marked by hail and bursts of thunder, caught many by surprise and quickly turned familiar streets into rivers.
Despite the intervention of drainage crews, the downpour overwhelmed the city’s infrastructure. Water pooled in neighborhoods across the city, spilling over sidewalks and into homes and shops. Traffic came to a standstill. Several key roads disappeared under water.
Cars stalled mid-road. Passengers sat helplessly inside as engines gave out in knee-high water. In some areas, rescue teams found it difficult to move through the floodwaters to reach people in need.
On social media, residents posted videos showing torrents rushing through the streets. Shopkeepers watched helplessly as water entered their businesses. Families stood outside, trying to push water back from doorways or carry their belongings to higher ground.
While many residents voiced frustration over the city’s inability to handle the storm, others expressed gratitude for the much-needed rain. Some netizens wrote “Alhamdoulilah for the rain,” seeing it as a blessing despite the chaos.
Still, criticism poured in over the state of local infrastructure. One Facebook user commented, “Just a few seconds of rain, and look at the disastrous state Marrakech is in,” pointing to what many see as longstanding issues in the city’s urban planning and drainage systems.
The storm caught the city off guard. Many people had no time to prepare, and for hours, confusion and fear took over. By the time the skies cleared, the damage had already taken its toll, flooded homes, stranded vehicles, and streets littered with debris.
Authorities have not yet released a full assessment of the damage, but residents are left facing the aftermath of a night that changed the rhythm of the city in a matter of minutes.
