HIBAPRESS – A. Mahyaoui
Taza Province witnessed, on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, a state of maximum alert following the sudden rise in the water level of Oued Al-Arbaa and Oued Defali, as a result of the heavy rainfall that the province experienced, which necessitated a comprehensive mobilization of various services under the direct supervision of Mr. Rachid Benchikhi, the Governor of Taza Province.
Immediately after the regional authority was notified of the rise in water levels at the Al-Arbaa Bridge, and its leakage into a number of neighboring houses in the Al-Malha district of the Sixth Administrative Annex in the city of Taza, totaling 23 houses, including 16 inhabited and 7 uninhabited, the governor of the province went to the scene accompanied by the head of regional security, the regional commander of the auxiliary forces, the regional commander of civil protection, and the head of the internal affairs department, in addition to local authorities and their agents, to stand in the field on the readiness of the measures taken to confront the risks of floods. In the framework of proactive measures, a security meeting was held on the spot, in the presence of various security services and local authorities, which resulted in the adoption of a number of emergency measures, including the mobilization of the necessary logistical means, such as bulldozers and ambulances, and two inflatable boats belonging to the civil protection, with the aim of evacuating the affected population, who responded to the evacuation calls in an atmosphere characterized by responsibility and discipline, as some families preferred to be accommodated with their relatives. Buses belonging to the prefecture and the regional council were also harnessed to transport families who might be forced to leave their homes, in addition to equipping 80 beds in social care institutions such as "student houses", in coordination with the Regional Directorate of National Cooperation, with the provision of accommodation supplies such as mattresses, blankets and food, in anticipation of any possible emergency. In parallel with that, six (06) houses in Sidi Abdullah Bayt Ghulam Street, adjacent to Oued Defali, were damaged, where seven (07) families were evacuated and accommodated in reception centers designated for this purpose, while four (04) families preferred to go to their relatives' homes. By strict instructions from the governor of the province, all those involved were called upon to continuously monitor the field situation day and night, and to be as vigilant and ready as possible to deal with the various potential scenarios for the floods of Oued Al-Arbaa and Oued Defali, as well as the rest of the valleys and watercourses in the province. It was also decided to temporarily ban traffic at the Asdor 1-2 bridge and the Al-Malha neighborhood, while making the safety of citizens and the protection of their lives, property and accommodation conditions a top priority.
