An unprecedented snowfall has hit the southeastern part of Morocco since the weekend, and the severe weather affects about 24,000 families and more than 80 settlements. According to the authorities, the situation is more serious in Zagora and Varza, but by Monday it is expected that all settlements that have been closed off from the outside world will be cleared and freed from snow captivity.
In and around Varzáza, 200 kilometers southeast of Marrakech, a two-meter thick snow cap has formed during the snowfall of the past few days, and many national roads have become impassable. The district ordered a temporary educational cut.
Assistance from the authorities is progressing at a good pace despite the poor conditions
– said Szanae Berdikh, Communications Director of the F.C. Foundation. Mohamed for Solidarity, when asked by the EFE news agency on Monday. To date, the Foundation has provided assistance to thousands of families with problems.
While on the sixth weekend. King Mohammed VI urged the delivery of humanitarian aid – food and blankets – to their destination, and the authorities opened an air corridor between Casablanca, Farzaza, Zagora and Agadir so that supplies could reach their destination as quickly as possible to the areas affected by the bombing. It’s snowing, Berdich added. Until now, the majority of Bedouin families living in isolation could only be reached by air.
Numerous volunteer medical teams – consisting of gynecologists, radiologists and pediatricians – have traveled to the area to provide medicines to residents in need. The Ministry of the Interior, local authorities and the gendarmerie as well as the armed air and ground forces are participating in the rescue operations.
Berdikh emphasized that if all goes according to plan, all 75 settlements will be accessible by Monday evening with the help of the 88 available snow shovels.
On the other hand, the Moroccan Meteorological Service issued an orange alert, Monday, due to new snowfall in the aforementioned areas.
According to service forecasts, up to 10-20 cm of snow may fall at higher elevations.
Cover image is illustrative. The photo shows the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. Image credit: Getty Images
