Moroccan home minister: effects of floods were contained

Moroccan home minister, Driss Jettou, said on Thursday the public authorities have succeeded, in general, in containing the effects of last week's strong rains.

Reporting on the weekly government meeting, culture and communication minister, Mohamed Achaari, said Jettou surveyed before the meeting results of ground trips he made to the regions affected by floods following the rainfalls that were welcomed by citizens and particularly farmers.

He also recalled that thanks to the rains, dams' filling rate reached 46.4%, with 10 dams reaching 100% of their capacity and 12 were filled up to 60% of their reservoir. Underground waters increased considerably.

He added that rains have also left some negative incidence, such as floods in some regions and limited human and material losses.

Thirteen people are reported to have died in Settat and Essaouira as a result of heavy rains that swept through parts of central and western Morocco. In the industrial compound of Berrechid some 31 industrial units were inundated and several dwellings collapsed in flood-affected areas.

The home minister visited Berrechid, Settat and Essaouira to get first hand information on the damages caused by the floods.