A heatwave in Morocco has resulted in the death of at least 21 individuals over a 24-hour span in the central city of Beni Mellal, as announced by the health ministry on Thursday.
The meteorology department reported that soaring temperatures impacted a significant portion of North Africa from Monday to Wednesday, with some areas experiencing temperatures as high as 48 degrees Celsius. In Beni Mellal, the majority of fatalities were among those with chronic illnesses and the elderly, with high temperatures exacerbating their health conditions, according to the regional health directorate.
Morocco has faced its sixth consecutive year of drought and unprecedented heat this winter, with January being the hottest month in the country since 1940, as recorded by the meteorology department, which noted temperatures nearing 37°C in certain locations. The increasing temperatures and extended drought, which have reduced reservoir levels, pose a significant threat to the crucial agricultural sector. Water evaporation has reached 1.5 million cubic meters per day, as stated by Water Minister Nizar Baraka at the end of June.
Morocco's highest recorded temperature of 50.4°C was recorded in August last year in Agadir, located in the south of the country. Scientists have attributed climate change to more prolonged, intense, and frequent extreme weather events, including heatwaves.
