Heatwave Claims 21 Lives In Morocco

At least, twenty-one (21) persons have lost in their lives to severe heatwave in Morocco within a 24-hour period in the central city of Beni Mellal, health ministry reported on Thursday.

Meteorology department disclosed that temperatures soared across much of the North African country from Monday to Wednesday, reaching up to 48 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit) in some areas.

“In Beni Mellal, the majority of deaths involved people suffering from chronic illnesses and the elderly, with high temperatures contributing to the deterioration of their health conditions,” the regional health directorate stated.

The health ministry could not confirm if this was the highest recorded death toll from a heatwave in Morocco.

Beni Mellal, located more than 200 kilometers (150 miles) southeast of Casablanca, was still experiencing temperatures of 43 degrees Celsius on Thursday.

However, the meteorology department expects temperatures to drop in the coming days.

In the tourist hotspot of Marrakesh, temperatures are anticipated to decrease by 10 degrees Celsius on Sunday.

Morocco is enduring its sixth consecutive year of drought, with record heat recorded this past winter.

January was the hottest since 1940, with temperatures reaching 37 degrees Celsius in some areas, according to the meteorology department.

The prolonged drought and rising temperatures have significantly impacted the vital agricultural sector, causing reservoir levels to drop.

Water Minister Nizar Baraka noted at the end of June, that water evaporation had reached 1.5 million cubic meters (53 million cubic feet) per day.

The High Commission for Planning reported in May that the “labour market continues to suffer from the effects of the drought,” with the unemployment rate increasing to 13.7 percent in the first quarter, up from 12.9 percent in the same period last year.

The agricultural sector lost around 159,000 jobs, according to the figures.

Morocco’s highest recorded temperature of 50.4 degrees Celsius was set in August 2023 in the coastal resort city of Agadir.

Globally, Monday was the hottest day recorded since measurements began in 1940, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Earth observation programme.