Twenty-one people died in 24 hours in Beni Mellalin a city in central Morocco, due to a new heat wave that hit the country, which is experiencing its sixth year of drought, as announced today by the Ministry of Health.
The General Directorate of Meteorology warned
The Directorate General of Meteorology (DGM) announced the arrival of a strong heat wave starting Monday that would last until yesterday, Wednesday, in many areas, with temperatures that could reach 48 degrees Celsius, especially in Beni Melal.
“Most of the deaths are of people suffering from chronic illnesses and the elderly, and high temperatures contribute to the deterioration of their health and lead to death,” the regional health department said in a statement.
Morocco has seen record heat this winter, with January being the hottest month on record since 1940 (reaching almost 37 degrees Celsius in some places), according to the DGM.
Rising temperatures threaten the agricultural sector, which is crucial to the national economy, and water reserves in dams. Water evaporation has reached one and a half million cubic metres per day,” said Water Resources Minister Nizar Baraka at the end of June.
The national record for the highest temperature was recorded in August 2023 in Agadir (south) with 50.4 degrees Celsius.
AMP Source