HIBAPRESS – Mohamed Daher
The province of Chichaoua witnessed heavy rains yesterday, Saturday, leaving behind devastating human and material losses. The waters swept away a child no older than 15 years in the village of Ifensa, in the commune of Amzouzate.
The same floods in Chichaoua province last night also resulted in the deaths of 3 people: a baby girl no older than two years old in the village of Ait Wardas, a 20-year-old young woman in the village of Ait Hssain, and a 15-year-old boy in the village of Ifensa. All of them are from the commune of Amzouzate.
As for the material losses, they include:
– The washing away of the technical structure over the Oued Bou Anfir in the territory of the Ait Hadi commune, which resulted in the isolation of residents of many villages and the disruption of the regional road connecting the center of Nzalate and Sidi Mhamed El Dlil. The local authority in the region is currently supervising the process of opening the road to traffic while awaiting the repair of the bridge.
– Damage to the headquarters of the Sidi Mohamed El Dlil commune, which was inundated with water and mud, and the collapse of the perimeter wall of the commune's headquarters due to the flood levels experienced in the area.
– Damage to homes, the mosque, and the health center under construction in the village of El Saïdat, commune of El Saïdat. The homes were inundated with water, reaching over a meter and a half at its peak, causing some of them to collapse.
– Partial collapse and damage to a number of houses in the villages of El Rawafi and Ahl Hrima in the commune of Sidi Mohamed El Dlil.
– The washing away of the bridge of the village of Akaouz and damage to many rural roads in the commune of Sidi Ghanem, causing temporary isolation of a large part of the population.
– Partial and total collapse of a number of houses in several villages in both the communes of Amzouzate and Zawia Nahliya, in addition to partial damage to the infrastructure in these areas.
– Death of a large number of livestock in some villages of the Amzouzate commune due to the torrential floods.
– A vehicle belonging to a local authority agent working in the governorate of Saksaoua was swept away at the Boulaouane bridge in the commune of Sidi Ghanem. Many parked vehicles on the side of the road and in front of their owners' homes were also damaged in many areas that experienced high flood levels.
– Damage to many houses that were flooded in the villages of Lahmdjat, Lamssafour, Tissikht, and Tamazirt in the territory of the Adouiran commune, where many rural roads were also damaged.
Had it not been for the immediate and prompt intervention of the provincial and local authorities, civil defense personnel, Royal Gendarmerie officers, auxiliary forces, local agents, and some residents of the affected areas, the toll would have been catastrophic by all measures.
Work is also ongoing at full speed in all affected areas to break the isolation, shelter those affected by the collapse of their homes, and remove mud and stones to facilitate movement (Amentalout being a model).
In light of these natural disasters, whose timing and magnitude cannot be predicted at all, everyone must mobilize and show solidarity to help from their respective positions and according to available capabilities, free from any political maneuvering.
