Flash floods caused by storm Marta in northern Morocco kills at least 4 people
#Morocco #Storm Marta #Flash floods #Tétouan #Drought relief #Evacuations #Meteorology
📌 Key Takeaways
- Storm Marta caused at least four deaths near Tétouan when a car was swept away by floodwaters.
- More than 150,000 people were forced to evacuate due to overfilled dams and rising rivers.
- The storm followed closely behind Storm Leonardo, delivering up to 92mm of rain in some areas.
- The extreme rainfall has replenished Morocco's water reservoirs, ending a prolonged and severe drought.
📖 Full Retelling
🏷️ Themes
Natural Disaster, Climate, Public Safety
📚 Related People & Topics
2025–26 European windstorm season
The 2025–26 European windstorm season marks the eleventh year of the continents coordinated of severe weather naming programme. While the official list of names was unveiled on 1 September 2025, the season’s duration typically spans from the start of September through to 31 August, with the exceptio...
Drought
Period with less precipitation than normal
A drought is a period of drier-than-normal conditions. A drought can last for days, months or years. Drought often has large impacts on the ecosystems and agriculture of affected regions, and causes harm to the local economy.
Morocco
Country in North Africa
Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to the east, and the disputed territory of Western Sahara to the south, occupi...
Flash flood
Rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas
A flash flood is a rapid flooding of low-lying areas: washes, rivers, dry lakes and depressions. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a severe thunderstorm, hurricane, or tropical storm, or by meltwater from ice and snow. Flash floods may also occur after the collapse of a natural ice or d...
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- 🌐 Extreme weather (1 shared articles)
- 🌐 2025–26 European windstorm season (1 shared articles)
📄 Original Source Content
By — Associated Press Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Flash floods caused by storm Marta in northern Morocco kills at least 4 people World Feb 8, 2026 6:42 PM EST RABAT, Morocco — Flash floods caused by a storm in northern Morocco killed at least four people as the country struggled with days of heavy rain and water releases from overfilled dams that forced mass evacuations, local authorities said Sunday. Three children — a girl and two boys aged 2 to 14 — and a man in his 30s died in a car that was swept away in a village near Tétouan, about 270 kilometers (168 miles) north of the capital Rabat, according to a statement from the Interior Ministry citing local authorities. Another person remains missing. Local authorities said they will open an investigation into what happened. READ MORE: Why flash floods are the nation's top storm-related cause of death The flash floods were caused by a storm system known as Marta, which moved into Morocco over the weekend and dumped up to 92 millimeters (3.6 inches) of rain on some northern cities, Houssine Youabed of Morocco's General Directorate of Meteorology told The Associated Press. Storm Marta also reached neighboring Spain and Portugal. Days earlier, another storm, Leonardo, hit northern Africa and the Iberian peninsula. In Morocco, it overfilled dams and rivers, damaging homes and crops, triggering minor landslides and forcing more than 150,000 people to evacuate. The turbulent weather has also secured at least a year's supply of drinking water for Morocco and boosted resources for the country's critical agricultural sector, officials said, providing relief after a yearslong drought. A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now By — Associated Press Associated Press --> Support Provided By: Learn more Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our ...